WALES

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many breaches of information security there have been in his Department in the last five years.

Peter Hain: There have been no breaches of information security in the Wales Office in the last five years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Antisocial Behaviour

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of anti social behaviour orders during the last four years.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office had begun a review of antisocial behaviour orders in Northern Ireland but this was superseded by the 2008 Criminal Justice Inspectorate's review of antisocial behaviour orders.
	The review concluded that there has been a sensible approach to the introduction of antisocial behaviour orders in Northern Ireland. The review also highlighted that antisocial behaviour orders are used as part of a staged approach to tackling antisocial behaviour alongside other interventions such as warnings and acceptable behaviour contracts.

Departmental Billing

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of invoices his Department and its agencies paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows the number and proportion of invoices paid by the Northern Ireland Office, including the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland, and its agencies within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months.
	
		
			   NIO( 1)  NIPS( 2)  Comp. Agency( 3)  FSNI( 4,6)  YJA( 5,7) 
			   Invoices  %  Invoices  %  Invoices  %  Invoices  %  Invoices  % 
			  2008   
			 June 291 5.4 626 33.8 32 74.4 — — — — 
			 July 874 15.3 486 24.4 20 58.8 — — — — 
			 August 1,981 66.9 759 38.8 29 70.7 — — — — 
			 September 1,523 45.7 757 36.3 22 56.4 — — — — 
			 October 2,002 48.0 913 37.5 29 72.5 — — — — 
			 November 2,542 58.7 896 39.1 21 75.0 86 36.6 — — 
			 December(8) 2,692 82.5 1,448 80.7 30 85.7 166 46.5 679 93.7 
			
			  2009   
			 January 3,122 79.0 2,688 76.2 25 92.6 141 57.6 593 76.3 
			 February 3,231 82.6 1,749 85.4 27 100 219 80.2 524 77.6 
			 March 3,611 82.2 2,141 85.8 33 100 254 76.7 759 79.7 
			 April 3,026 83.3 1,109 72.2 31 100 185 69.6 505 65.2 
			 May 3,074 91.6 1,770 89.3 23 95.8 136 69.2 427 80.9 
			 (1) Northern Ireland Office including the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland.  (2) Northern Ireland Prison Service.  (3) Compensation Agency.  (4) Forensic Science Northern Ireland.  (5) Youth Justice Agency.  (6) Figures for invoices paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months for Forensic Science Northern Ireland are only available from November 2008.  (7)Figures for invoices paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last 12 months for Youth Justice Agency are only available from December 2008.  (8) The Northern Ireland Office and it agencies revised procedures for the processing and payment of invoices following guidance issued by the Cabinet Office on 17 November 2008 relating to a target to pay invoices within 10 days with effect from 1 December 2008. Prior to December 2008 the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies sought to comply with the "The Better Payments Practice Code" for achieving good payment performance in commercial transactions. Under this Code, the policy was to pay bills in accordance with contractual conditions or, where no such conditions exist, within 30 days of receipt of goods and services or the presentation of a valid invoice, whichever is the later.

Employment Tribunals

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many actions under employment law have been brought against his Department in each of the last three years; how many such actions were brought under each category of action; and how many such actions were contested by his Department at an employment tribunal.

Paul Goggins: The following table details the 10 actions brought against the Northern Ireland Office core Department in the last three financial years. Of these, one was withdrawn by the complainant and four were settled prior to hearing. The remaining five cases have not yet reached tribunal stage.
	
		
			  Category of action  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  Total per category 
			 Sex discrimination 1 — — 1 
			 Fair employment discrimination 3 — 1 4 
			 Equal pay — — 4 4 
			 Unlawful deduction of wages — 1 — 1 
			 Total per year 4 1 5 10

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many  (a) Protestant,  (b) Roman Catholic and  (c) non-determined applicants for the Police Service of Northern Ireland there were in (i) the most recent recruitment competition and (ii) all recruitment competitions since the inception of the 50/50 recruitment process;
	(2)  how many  (a) Protestant,  (b) Roman Catholic and  (c) non-determined appointees to the Police Service of Northern Ireland there have been since the inception of the 50/50 recruitment process.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Housing

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many residential units owned by  (a) the Police Authority for Northern Ireland and  (b) the Northern Ireland Prison Service are vacant; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: There are currently no vacant residential units owned by the Northern Ireland Policing Board. The Northern Ireland Prison Service presently have 25 vacant residential units within the grounds of their training college at Millisle. These will be sold as part of the planned sale of the Millisle site upon the completion of the new public sector college at Desertcreat.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Copyright

Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission when he expects the internal copyright review to report.

Nick Harvey: I expect this review to be completed by the summer recess.

Democracy Live

Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent representations the House of Commons Commission has received on the forthcoming BBC Democracy Live service; and if the Commission will consider enabling the share facility for videos of proceedings in Parliament.

Nick Harvey: The Commission has not received any representations on the forthcoming BBC Democracy Live service. I understand that the Administration Committee will shortly be considering a proposal to permit the embedding of video content by end users.

SCOTLAND

Cabinet: Glasgow

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  how many  (a) special advisers and  (b) officials of his Department accompanied him to Glasgow for the Cabinet meeting on 16 April 2009;
	(2)  what car journeys he took in attending the Cabinet meeting in Glasgow on 16 April 2009;
	(3)  how much expenditure was incurred by his Department in respect of the Cabinet meeting in Glasgow on 16 April 2009;
	(4)  what expenditure on  (a) travel,  (b) accommodation and  (c) food (i) he and (ii) officials in his Department incurred in connection with the Cabinet meeting in Glasgow on 16 April 2009.

Jim Murphy: I was accompanied by one official and one special adviser and undertook one car journey when attending Cabinet in Glasgow on 16 April 2009.
	For information in relation to the Cabinet and public engagement event held in Glasgow on 16 April I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 3 June 2009,  Official Report, column 487W.

Demos

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what  (a) private meetings and  (b) public engagements Ministers in his Department have attended at which representatives from the think-tank Demos were present in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many breaches of information security there have been in his Department in the last five years.

Ann McKechin: There have been no breaches of information security at the Scotland Office in the last five years.
	The Office would report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the ICO. Information on any personal data security breaches would be published on an annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to answer Question  (a) 273945,  (b) 273946,  (c) 273947 and  (d) 273948 tabled on 5 May 2009 on the Cabinet meeting in Glasgow.

Jim Murphy: These parliamentary questions were answered today.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bees

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to appoint an expert in beekeeping and honey bee health to the funding committee for the Living with Environmental Change programme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 19 June 2009
	DEFRA and other funders are currently considering whether an independent expert should be invited to join the panel considering research proposals submitted to the Insect Pollinator Initiative being developed under the Living with Environmental Change programme.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the farming industry of the number of cattle slaughtered as a result of infection with bovine tuberculosis in  (a) 2009,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 15 June 2009
	 The cost impacts of bovine tuberculosis (TB) on farm businesses will vary, though we know that for some farmers these costs will be serious. We have made no specific estimates of the effects of the cost to the farming industry of cattle slaughtered as a result of infection with bovine TB.
	The Bovine TB Eradication Group have recently discussed ideas to enable farmers affected by bovine TB to maintain their farm businesses, including enhancing trading opportunities for TB restricted herds and options for support for individual farmers.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research: Manpower

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research office in each of the last five years.

Dan Norris: The table provides the requested data. We have included total staff numbers to give an indication of the relative level of management effort, and CEFAS turnover figures to illustrate substantial growth in the volumes of work delivered by the agency over this period. Total staff numbers are average full year figures (as reported in the annual accounts; the detail breakdown reflects the position at financial year end).
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Total staff 523 508 520 508 522 
			 Turnover (£ million) 37.4 40.4 43.3 47.5 57.1 
			   
			 Directors 7 7 8 3 3 
			 Senior managers 8 7 6 5 5 
			 Specialist and delivery managers 332 326 333 352 343 
			 Executive support and admin. 120 115 112 93 65 
			  Notes: 1. Directors are executive members of the CEFAS management board. 2. Senior managers lead operational management across the organisation, and form part of the CEFAS "Senior Management Team". 3. Specialist and delivery managers: have an extensive proportion of their time focused on managing/delivering customer projects and are typically professionally qualified. This is an estimated figure based on staff grade. 4. Executive support and administration: provide the "corporate services" function for CEFAS.

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research: Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid in bonuses to  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research in each of the last five years.

Dan Norris: The table provides the requested data. Figures for 2008-09 have not yet been finalised.
	The CEFAS "performance related pay" (PRP) scheme has varied in recent years. It comprises a "corporate bonus" payable to all eligible staff as well as an "individual PRP" for a smaller proportion. The table shows percentage corporate and values of individual PRP estimated. The current scheme allows for:
	A corporate bonus for all eligible staff of 2.2 per cent. of salary, explicitly linked to achievement of agreed agency targets
	A corporate "growth" bonus for all eligible staff of up to 1.3 per cent. of salary self-funded and explicitly linked to generation of additional income from sources other than DEFRA.
	An "individual PRP" paid at two levels, 4 per cent. or 8 per cent., for approximately 25 and 15 per cent. of staff respectively. This is assessed on the basis of achievement of personal objectives together with consideration of how these were delivered, the latter taking account of CEFAS values.
	Bonus arrangements for four senior civil servants in CEFAS, including the chief executive, form part of wider DEFRA arrangements.
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 "Corporate bonus" (percentage) 1 3 5 5 — 
			   
			  Individual PRP (£):  
			 Directors 22,780 9,860 19,512 20,860 — 
			 Senior managers 5,680 3,180 2,833 2,447 — 
			 Specialist and delivery managers 136,483 73,502 88,184 92,462 — 
			 Executive support and admin. 42,442 28,639 29,196 21,624 —

Common Agricultural Policy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the public purse of the Common Agricultural Policy integrated administration and control system was in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) under the Common Agricultural Policy provides the system for managing direct payments to farmers (such as the Single Payment Scheme), and those rural development measures which are based on the area farmed or number of animals held by the farmer (such as agri-environment payments and Less Favoured Area payments). The Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Natural England and the Forestry Commission all administer IACS-related schemes in England.
	It is not possible to provide the specific costs to these bodies of administering IACS-only schemes in the time available without incurring disproportionate costs, as they do not separately collect such figures.
	The table sets out indicative costs to these organisations as follows:
	(a) RPA: total running costs for administering around 60 CAP schemes and for Trader schemes payments to traders throughout the UK as well as all its non-CAP functions such as livestock tracing.
	(b) Forestry Commission: administration of their 'land-based' IACS grant schemes, the English Woodland Grant Scheme together with the legacy Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland (Premium) Schemes.
	(c) Natural England: administration of their RDPE schemes, including agri-environment schemes which are subject to IACS controls.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  RPA( 1)  Forestry Commission( 2)  Natural England( 3) 
			 2004-05 249.1 4.2 n/a 
			 2005-06 236.5 4.2 n/a 
			 2006-07 229.8 4.2 n/a 
			 2007-08 242.8 5.0 (4)44 
			 2008-09 (5)— 5.0 *38.8 
			 (1) Taken from the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts. (2) Net administration costs (3) Natural England was formed in October 2006. Costs for its predecessor bodies are not available. (4) Includes direct costs incurred by Natural England of £13.6 million, and costs of using DEFRA systems (including depreciation and support/running costs). (5) Not yet available.

Dairy Farmers of Britain: Insolvency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) farmers and  (b) farm businesses which are at risk of entering administration as a result of Dairy Farmers of Britain being taken into receivership.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Dairy Farmers of Britain had 1,800 members when they went into receivership on 3 June. The vast majority of those members have succeeded in finding new outlets for their milk. We were informed by the receivers (PwC) at a meeting on 17 June that 190 members have yet to find a new buyer, so PwC are collecting their milk at present.

Demos

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has any contracts with the think-tank Demos.

Dan Norris: The core-Department's financial system records expenditure in 2008-09 with Demos of £922.87 categorised as Training in People Management Skills.

Departmental Billing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average number of days taken to pay an invoice by  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its executive agencies was in each month since November 2008.

Dan Norris: holding answer 12 June 2009
	 Following the statement by the Prime Minister at PMQs on 8 October 2008, central Government Departments were asked to make payment of SME supplier invoices within 10 days. From information held centrally the 10 day payment performance for all supplier invoices from November 2008 for the core-Department and Executive agencies and NDPBs that utilise core-DEFRA's financial system is as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   10 day performance 
			   2008  2009 
			  Organisation  November  Decembe r  January  February  March  Apri l  May 
			 Core DEFRA 33.5 77.1 99.8 99.8 99.4 99.7 99.9 
			 Animal Health Agency 25.5 74.6 99.9 100.0 99.9 99.9 100.0 
			 Natural England 99.5 99.4 99.5 99.6 99.9 99.8 99.7 
			 Marine and Fisheries Agency 41.6 84.6 100.0 96.3 100.0 100.0 99.5 
			 Gov. Decon. Service 35.7 67.3 100.0 99.5 100.0 — — 
			 DECC cost centres 28.1 81.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 99.5 100.0 
			  Note: GDS merged into FERA from 1 April 2009.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on hospitality in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Dan Norris: holding answer 3 June 2009
	From information held centrally, the core-Department's financial system records expenditure on hospitality in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09 of £441,259 and £132,414 respectively.

Departmental Press

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) newspapers and  (b) periodicals are delivered to the private office of each Minister in his Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dan Norris: For the period October 2008 to June 2009, DEFRA Ministers had the following newspapers and periodicals delivered to their offices:
	 Hilary Benn
	 Newspapers
	 Financial Times
	 Times
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Daily Mail
	 Mirror
	 International Herald Tribune
	 Evening Standard
	 Periodicals
	 Farmers Weekly
	 Spectator
	 New Statesman
	 Economist
	 New Scientist
	 Jane Kennedy
	 Newspapers
	 Financial Times
	 Times
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Daily Mail
	 Periodicals
	 Farmers Weekly
	 Farmers Guardian
	 Fishing News
	 Lord Hunt
	 Newspapers
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Periodicals
	 Farmers Weekly
	 Farmers Guardian
	 Huw Irranca-Davies
	 Newspapers
	 Times
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Guardian
	 The Sun
	 Daily Mail
	 Mirror
	 Evening Standard
	 Periodicals
	 Farmers Weekly.
	Newspapers were, and continue to be, only delivered Monday-Thursday, with no papers or magazines being delivered through recess periods. Costs for these publications are grouped within a single departmental invoice, so an indicative weekly cost (based on the cover price of each publication) is £109.70, with zero cost during recess periods.

Entec

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) purpose and  (b) monetary value is of each contract his Department has with Entec UK environmental consultants.

Dan Norris: The core-Department's financial system records the following expenditure categorisation and values with Entec UK in 2008-09.
	
		
			  Description  Value (£) 
			 Environmental Protection Research and Monitoring 70,254 
			 England Biodiversity Strategy 15,640 
			 Flood and Coastal Defence Research Programme 222,612 
			 Marine Environment Research Programme 7,504 
			 Water Quality and Water Supply Regulation R and D 5,800 
			 Sustainable Water Use and Technical Support 13,444 
			 Air Quality Evidence Base Management 178,033 
			 Sustainable Development Commission Policy 46,070

Floods

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department plans to publish its next progress report on implementation of the urgent recommendations of the Pitt report on flooding.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In line with our commitment, the Government will very shortly publish its six-monthly Pitt progress report.

Floods: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to improve sea defences at Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 18 June 2009
	The plans to improve defences at Hengistbury Head will be based on the current policy review for the local Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). This is being led by Bournemouth borough council and is approaching a public consultation stage. The SMP will be adopted later this year and published in June 2010.
	Within the SMP the Environment Agency is reviewing the coastal processes and associated risks at Hengistbury Head. Once the SMP policies are determined and published, the Environment Agency has plans to develop a programme to re-evaluate its approach to improve the coastal defences for Poole Bay, including Hengistbury Head.

Floods: Property Development

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what proportion of local planning authorities have granted planning permission for a development against an Environment Agency flood risk objection in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what proportion of planning applications have been granted against Environment Agency advice on flood risk in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answers 12 and 15 June 2009
	 The following table shows the proportion of local planning authorities (LPAs) who have given planning permission for a development against an Environment Agency flood risk objection.
	
		
			  Proportion of LPAs who made decisions against Environment Agency advice 
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 29.9 
			 2004-05 35.8 
			 2005-06 26.1 
			 2006-07 21.4 
			 2007-08 23.5 
		
	
	The following table shows the proportion of planning applications that were approved against Environment Agency advice on flood risk.
	
		
			  Proportion of decisions against Environment Agency advice 
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 11.5 
			 2004-05 8.1 
			 2005-06 4.7 
			 2006-07 4.0 
			 2007-08 3.4

Food: Prices

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy on food prices in the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The principal market provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)—Market Price Support (MPS) and the use of tariffs—artificially raise the price of food above global agricultural market prices.
	We can calculate an estimate of the UK consumer cost of the Common Agricultural Policy by comparing the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural products and applying the difference to the volume of UK consumption. On that basis our latest estimates suggest that the UK consumer cost of the CAP was approximately £3.48 billion in 2006. This works out as an additional cost per head of UK population of £57.

Great Crested Newts

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people qualified to survey land in England for signs of great crested newt activity.

Huw Irranca-Davies: People with suitable experience and skills can apply to Natural England for a licence to handle/disturb great crested newts. For the year April 2007 to March 2008, Natural England issued 1,074 great crested newt licences, permitting activities for the purpose of science and conservation. Figures cannot be broken down further to indicate how many of these licence holders were engaged in surveying land for signs of great crested newt activity.

Horses: Animal Welfare

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the standard of the welfare of  (a) horses and  (b) racehorses; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will undertake an assessment of the welfare of racehorses, including levels of death and injury; and if he will bring forward proposals to improve their welfare.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer given 9 June 2009
	All kept horses are protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 ("the Act") which requires owners and keepers to provide for the welfare needs of their animals.
	To make owners and keepers more aware of their responsibilities under the Act, DEFRA is preparing a code of practice for the care of horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids. Once this is finalised it will be approved by Parliament before being published.
	There are no proposals to undertake a welfare assessment of racehorses. Racehorses are protected by the Act which makes it an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal. In addition, under the Act, it is an offence to fail to provide for the welfare needs of an animal for which owners are responsible.
	Anyone can take forward a prosecution under the Act if they consider they have evidence of cruelty or poor welfare, or they can report it to the appropriate authorities, including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Horticulture

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps his Department plans to take to support research and development in the production horticulture sector to maintain the UK's competitiveness in this sector;
	(2)  what funding his Department has allocated to production horticulture research and development in the last five years;
	(3)  if he will match-fund the Horticultural Development Company levy for horticulture research and development.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA funds a significant amount of horticultural research through research programmes on Sustainable Farm Management, Agriculture and Climate Change, Resource Efficient and Resilient Food Chain and Sustainable Water Management. DEFRA plans to continue supporting the horticultural sector through these programmes with research in areas including crop protection, nutrient management, water use and crop genetic improvement for horticulture. The Horticulture LINK research programme is jointly funded with industry and so is able to translate Research & Development into a commercial reality.
	DEFRA spent over £7 million on horticulture research in 2008-09. We spent £1.35 million in 2007-08 and again in 2008-09 directly on co-funded research with industry. We are likely to spend a similar amount this financial year. This exceeds the Horticulture Development Company's Research & Development expenditure.

Incinerators

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what auditing of the records of incinerator operators the Environment Agency undertakes to establish compliance with the law in relation to H14 ecotoxicity testing of incinerator bottom ash prior to its disposal.

Dan Norris: holding answer 9 June 2009
	Hazardous waste legislation requires that the bottom ash arising from municipal waste incinerators is assessed for ecotoxicity (property H14) prior to disposal. The legislation does not require operators to submit the results to the Environment Agency.

Members: Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter of 31 March 2009 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on his constituents in Macduff.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	As the letter concerned policy within BIS's remit I answered the right hon. Member's letter on 20 April 2009 and will send an additional copy to his office.

Pesticides Safety Directorate: Manpower

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Pesticides Safety Directorate office in each of the last five years.

Dan Norris: In the last five financial years from 2004-05 to 2008-09 the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) was based in a single office in York.
	Permanent staff in post expressed as full time equivalents (FTE) at 31 March in each year were:
	
		
			  Number 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  (a) Directors(1) 4 4 4 4 4 
			  (b) Senior Managers(2) 15 15 15 14 13 
			  (c) Specialist and delivery managers(3) 135.9 137.3 126.4 123.2 124.8 
			  (d) Executive support and admin staff(4) 43.9 42.8 36.7 33 20.3 
			 Total 198.8 199.1 182.1 174.2 162.1 
			 (1) Defined here as staff at Senior Civil Service or Grade 6 level. (2) Defined here as staff at Grade 7 level (includes managers in policy, science, technical and administrative areas). (3) Defined here as all staff in grades Executive/Scientific Officer to Senior Executive/Scientific Officer. (4) Defined here as all staff in grades Administrative Officer and Administrative Assistant.  Note: PSD transferred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 1 April 2008, and merged with other HSE teams to form the Chemicals Regulation Directorate on 1 April 2009.

River Humber

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the eutrophication status of the Humber estuary is; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency, which surveys waters in England for their eutrophic status, does not consider the Humber to be eutrophic or likely to become eutrophic in the near future.

Seas and Oceans: Pollution

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions monitoring of  (a) fish stocks and  (b) other marine wildlife has been instigated following the loss of a harmful cargo into the sea in UK waters since 1985; and what the (i) nature of the cargo, (ii) period of monitoring and (iii) results of that monitoring were in each case.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The role of DEFRA and the Marine and Fisheries Agency in responding to marine pollution emergencies is described in the National Contingency Plan for Marine Pollution from Shipping and Offshore Installations, which is maintained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Responses to maritime incidents need to be proportionate. Regional or national responses to maritime incidents involve the establishment of an Environment Group, which advises on environmental impacts and may initiate the collection of real time environmental data. If a marine pollution incident is expected to have a significant impact on the marine environment or the shoreline, arrangements are made to monitor and assess the impact in the longer term.
	On 20 January 2007, the MSC Napoli was beached in Lyme Bay. The vessel was loaded with 2,318 containers (159 of which were classified as 'International Maritime Dangerous Goods') and approximately 3,500 tonnes of Intermediate Fuel Oil and 152 tonnes of Marine Diesel Oil on board. It is estimated that approximately 302 tonnes of oil leaked out of the vessel and dispersant was used to disperse the oil. The proportion of containers that went overboard and the proportion of oil spilled was relatively small. The Environment Agency augmented their routine water quality monitoring programme both by adding additional stations to improve the data coverage and by implementing a screening procedure for chemicals in the water. In addition, DEFRA funded the Plymouth Marine Laboratory to undertake a survey of the waters across Lyme Bay to assess the levels of hydrocarbon contamination in subsurface waters and the surface microlayer. CEFAS and the Marine and Fisheries Agency also instigated a programme of sampling commercial shellfish (crabs, scallops and mussels). Natural England organised necropsies of a proportion of the oiled seabirds and organised two benthic surveys looking at the effect on the benthos (including the pink sea fans). Apart from the birds that died there has been no measured long term effect on the marine environment. Full details can be found at:
	www.mfa.gov.uk/environment/oil/mscnapoli.htm
	On 1 February 2006, the MV Ece, laden with 10,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid, sank following a collision with another vessel approximately 30 miles northwest of Guernsey. Phosphoric acid (phosphate) is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton (microscopic marine algae on which the entire marine food chain relies). Release of "additional" phosphate into the sea may intensify blooms of toxic phytoplankton species and/or lead to oxygen loss from the seawater, both of which are lethal to marine organisms. As there was the possibility of a potential spill from the vessel, a research study was carried out to evaluate the "Ferrybox" as an appropriate monitoring system for the marine environment using the wreck of the MV Ece as a test case. One of the samples taken contained a concentration higher than background levels, demonstrating that this system of monitoring was capable of identifying phosphate leakage from the wreck. Full details of the report can be found at:
	http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document:= ME3208_3714_FRP.pdf
	On 3 September 2005, MV Anglian Sovereign (Coastguard ETV) hit rocks close to the entrance to Scalloway Harbour in Shetland. It had 84 tonnes of gas oil on board plus the usual hydraulic and lubricating oils. A good deal of oil was lost to the sea but much of the rest was recovered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency response. Monitoring was undertaken for a number of months when it was found that farmed salmon and wild shellfish in the area was contaminated.
	On 29 June 2003, the Jambo, carrying 3,300 tonnes of sphalerite ore ran aground on rocks off the Summer Isles North West of Ullapool. Sphalerite is mainly composed of zinc sulphide and contains traces of other metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic. Monitoring included testing water, sediments and shellfish for zinc, toxicity testing and measuring the solubility of metallic elements in the sphalerite ore. It showed that measured levels of zinc in the water were mostly very low. Toxic impacts of zinc to water column animals are therefore considered very unlikely. Measured levels of zinc in sediments are very low except in the immediate vicinity of the wreck (-100 metres) so toxic and smothering impacts to benthic (seabed) animals are therefore expected to be similarly localised. There is no evidence to suggest that the discharged cargo from the Jambo has resulted in persistent elevated levels of zinc, cadmium or arsenic in scallop or crab tissues. It is concluded that eating shellfish from the area around the Jambo incident does not raise any food safety concerns for consumers. The final report of the Jambo Environment Group to the Secretary of State's representative was published in July 2004 and can be obtained from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency at:
	http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/environment_group_report-5.pdf
	On 31 October 2000, the levoli Sun was abandoned and later sunk approximately 11 miles North West of Alderney. The vessel carried a mixed cargo of 4,000 tonnes styrene, 1,000 tonnes methyl ethyl ketone and 1,000 tonnes isopropyl alcohol. More than 1,000 tonnes styrene was lost to sea during the incident. Analysis of edible tissues from crabs recovered one week later from pots laid very close to the wreck prior to the incident demonstrated only low-level styrene contamination that posed no risk to humans. The remainder of the styrene and the ship's main bunker fuel were recovered from the wreck on the seabed. Full details are provided in R.J. Law, C. Kelly, P. Matthiessen and J. Aldridge (2003) The loss of the chemical tanker levoli Sun in the English Channel, October 2000. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46: 254-257.
	In February 1996 the Sea Empress ran aground in the entrance to Milford Haven releasing more than 72,000 tonnes of oil. Monitoring of affected wildlife began almost immediately and was mostly completed by 1998(1). Some studies continued in subsequent years and a number of reports and scientific papers have been published in the 10 years following the spill. The long term effects of the spill were evaluated in a report published in 2006(2). In addition, a review of the ecological effects of the clean up following the spill was published in 2006(3). The studies found that almost all known impacts to marine wildlife and marine and coastal habitats from the Sea Empress oil spill had disappeared within five years.
	On 5 January 1993, MV Braer, an oil tanker, ran aground at the southern tip of Shetland, releasing around 85,000 tonnes of oil. Monitoring began immediately and monitoring for some direct effects continued for around a year. Background monitoring that could be used to assess some effects started in the 1970s and have continued to the present. In general, very few effects other than immediate ones were found, probably due to light and easily dispersible nature of the oil spilled(4,5). It took one species of seabird one to five years to recover to pre-spill levels(6), and others may have taken longer.
	(1) SEEEC, 1998. The Environmental Impact of the Sea Empress Oil Spill. Final Report of the Sea Empress Environmental Evaluation Committee. London: The Stationery Office. ISBN: 0 11 702156 3.
	http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/seeec/impact/seaemp.htm
	(2) Moore, J.J. 2006. State of the Marine Environment in South West Wales, 10 years after the Sea Empress Oil Spill. A report to the Countryside Council for Wales from Coastal Assessment, Liaison and Monitoring, Cosheston, Pembrokeshire. CCW Monitoring report No 21. 30pp.
	(3) Little, A.E., Moore, J.J. and Dyrynda P.E.J. 2006. Ecological Impacts of Shoreline Clean-up during the Sea Empress Oil Spill. A Report to the Countryside Council for Wales by Cordah Ltd. 131pp.
	(4) Ritchie, W. And O'Sullivan, M (eds.) 1994. The Environmental impact of the wreck of the Braer. Scottish Office, Edinburgh. 207pp.
	(5) Davies, J.M. and Topping, G. (eds) 1997. The impact of an oil spill in turbulent waters: the Braer. Scottish Office, Edinburgh.
	(6) Heubeck, M. 2000. Population trends of kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, black guillemot Cepphus grylle and common guillemot Uria aalge. Atlantic Seabirds 1: 43-47.

Waste Disposal: Newcastle upon Tyne

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with Newcastle City Council on its decision not to pursue the incineration option for its disposal of waste.

Dan Norris: DEFRA Ministers have had no such discussions. The choice of waste management technology for Newcastle is a matter for the city council.

TRANSPORT

Air Passenger Duty

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the proposed Air Passenger Duty charges on the number of passengers travelling on each Air Passenger Duty band.

Paul Clark: A sensitivity test for the proposed new Air Passenger Duty (APD) bands and rates was included in the Department for Transport's "UK Air Passenger Demand and C02 Forecasts" report, published in January 2009. The report is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/atf/co2forecasts09/
	Table 2.12 (page 48) reports the effect of this sensitivity test (rounded to the nearest five million passengers).
	The breakdown of the change in 2030 demand from moving to the new APD bands and rates is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Change in 2030 forecast from central case 
			  New APD band  Passengers (million) 
			 Band A -1.4 
			 Band B 0.0 
			 Band C 0.0 
			 Band D 0.0 
			 APD exempt -0.1 
			 Total -1.5 
			  Notes:  Results are rounded to nearest 0.1 million passengers. Difference in total impact from that reported in "UK Air Passenger Demand and C02 Forecasts" January 2009, is due to differences in rounding. 
		
	
	As explained in "UK Air Passenger Demand and C02 Forecasts", January 2009, paragraphs 2.28 to 2.29 (page 21), the Department's central demand forecasts assume that aviation will meet its climate change costs. It is assumed these will be met by APD, plus an additional cost equal to the difference between APD and aviation's climate change costs per passenger journey (if positive). This assumption reduces the impact of changes to APD on the demand forecasts.
	No assessment of the impact of the proposed new APD bands and rates without this assumption is available.

Aviation

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many passes to his Department have been issued to employees of  (a) BAA,  (b) British Airways,  (c) Virgin and  (d) other airlines in each of the last five years.

Chris Mole: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bus Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the supply and demand of local bus services.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport (DfT) has recently commissioned a number of research projects on buses which are relevant to the supply and demand of local bus services.
	A recently commissioned project on the determinants of bus patronage focuses on the importance of softer factors in influencing patronage growth and modal shift. We are expecting this work to be published by autumn 2009.
	On concessionary travel, the Department has commissioned research which focuses on the impact of concessionary travel on demand for local bus services and costs, though the work will also cover general bus demand and bus costs. We are expecting this work to be published by the end of 2009.
	On bus modelling, the Department has commissioned the development of a bus model which is able to forecast bus patronage changes and bus service levels for different types of interventions. A completed bus model is expected by autumn 2009.
	It is intended that DfT's most recent regional and local research strategy is published this summer, which will provide details on local and regional transport research.

Demos

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has any contracts with the think-tank Demos.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has no contracts with Demos.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport reports its carbon dioxide emissions from offices figures through the annual Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report. The figures for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are as follows:
	
		
			  Carbon dioxide from offices 
			  Tonne s 
			   Total  Per FTE( 1) 
			 2006-07 24,326 1.239 
			 2007-08 26,098 1.395 
			 (1) FTE stands for 'full time equivalent' (member of staff).

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many departmental identity cards or passes have been reported lost or stolen by staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its executive agencies since July 2008.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport is comprised of the central Department, a Shared Service Centre and seven Executive agencies. The information available regarding identity cards or passes reported lost or stolen since July 2008 is as follows:
	For the central Department the number of staff passes reported as replaced is 431. The records available do not distinguish between passes replaced due to loss or theft and those replaced for other reasons. Lost or stolen passes are estimated to account for approximately 45 per cent. of all replacement passes issued.
	For the Department's Shared Service centre the number of staff passes reported as lost or stolen is five.
	For the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency the number of staff passes reported as lost or stolen is 70.
	For the Highways Agency the number of staff passes reported as lost or stolen is 35.
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency have no record of passes reported as lost or stolen.
	The Vehicle Certification Agency have reported three staff passes as lost.
	The Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA) reported seven warrant cards as lost or stolen. In addition it reported that two headquarters building passes were reported lost and two were replaced but the reason was not recorded. VOSA does not centrally record staff building passes reported lost or stolen as each building manager handles requests for replacements on an individual basis. The number for passes lost or stolen for the whole agency could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	The Driving Standards Agency has had 13 permanent staff passes reported as lost or stolen. In the same period, two driving examiner warrant cards were reported as lost or stolen.
	The Maritime and Coastguard Agency do not centrally record the number of staff passes reported as lost or stolen as cases are dealt with individually and not recorded in an aggregated form. This information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much  (a) electricity and  (b) gas was used (i) on his Department's estate and (ii) by his Department's agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport gas and electricity consumption figures are as follows:
	
		
			  kWh 
			  Area  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  Electricity 
			 Central Department 8,073,203 9,189,266 8,039,848 7,522,567 
			 Driving Standards Agency 3,397,953 3,967,843 4,337,092 3,555,589 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 14,698,167 14,106,404 15,658,681 16,460,063 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency — 757,036 831,151 821,805 
			 Highways Agency 4,092,816 3,615,533 3,602,937 4,393,721 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 5,708,513 6,901,183 6,831,677 5,813,369 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 65,069 153,608 136,804 200,423 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 7,194,512 6,640,513 6,914,649 6,992,162 
			 Total 43,230,233 45,331,386 46,352,839 45,759,699 
			  
			  Gas 
			 Area 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 
			 Central Department 1,183,339 1,743,451 893,005 970,130 
			 Driving Standards Agency 2,836,153 7,135,920 3,942,059 3,095,886 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 14,665,348 28,442,576 26,254,520 31,470,328 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency — 733,428 638,352 1,909,513 
			 Highways Agency 2,418,204 2,170,079 1,769,332 2,049,947 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 3,283,979 4,308,427 3,508,140 2,796,924 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 119,626 130,536 109,035 90,245 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 6,850,996 5,427,891 5,652,612 6,882,232 
			 Total 31,357,645 50,092,308 42,767,055 49,265,205 
		
	
	There are no figures reported for the Government Car and Despatch Agency for 2004-05 as they did not become part of the Department for Transport until 2005-06.
	The figures for 2008-09 are not yet available as they are currently being collated for the latest Sustainable Development in Government report.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures.

Chris Mole: It is not possible to provide spend data on energy efficiency measures undertaken by the Department for Transport as the majority of these works were part of larger building projects and were not costed separately. The following is a list of some of the energy efficiency measures that have been carried out at various sites across the Department for Transport estate:
	Carbon Management Energy Efficiency Report;
	Installation of Savawatt controllers;
	Improved lighting control systems;
	Installation of double glazing;
	Reducing the operating temperatures of heating and cooling systems;
	"Switch off" campaigns;
	Installation of thermal blinds;
	Smart metering and sub-metering programmes;
	Upgrades to Building management Systems to reduce energy consumption;
	Replacement of boilers with improved energy efficiency ratings;
	Improvements to air handling units to improve efficiency;
	Automatic PC shutdown at designated time.
	The Department reports its energy figures annually as part of the Sustainable Development in Government report and monitors its sustainability data quarterly. As part of the Carbon Management Energy Efficiency report mentioned above the Department reports periodically to the Carbon Trust the savings, in terms of emissions and cost that have been achieved as a result of the measures implemented from the report.
	Energy efficiency measures for the future include:
	Benchmarking of some sites to determine where efficiencies are required and to allow assessment of the effectiveness of energy efficiency installations;
	Further installation of Smart meters and sub-metering;
	Installation of new more energy efficient lifts;
	Implementation of a "thin client" IT solution;
	Participation in the Carbon reduction Commitment;
	Achievement of the Carbon Trust Standard;
	Adoption of BREEAM Excellent or Very Good ratings for all new build and major refurbishments;
	Working towards achievement of an accredited EMS in all departmental organisations;
	Full utilisation of a second CHP plant at our Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency site at Morrison.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has, in addition to the central Department, seven executive agencies that report performance under the Sustainable Operation on the Government Estate targets. Those agencies account for in excess of 85 per cent. of the entire departmental estate. The chief executive of each agency is therefore responsible for the energy efficiency of their estate, while Richard Hatfield, Director General of International Networks and Environment, is the Board level champion whose role includes the promotion of sustainability across the entire Department for Transport family.

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport reports its energy consumption figures through the annual Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report. The figures for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are as follows:
	
		
			  Energy usage 
			  kWh 
			   Total  Per FTE( 1) 
			 2006-07 100,104,264 5,098 
			 2007-08 99,082,036 5,297 
			 (1) FTE stands for 'full time equivalent' (member of staff).

Departmental Public Consultation

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what consultations have been carried out by his Department since July 2007; and at what cost.

Chris Mole: Details of the Department for Transport's consultations carried out since July 2007 have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Information about the cost of each consultation is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Waste

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the amount of waste arising from his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport reports its waste arisings figures through the annual Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report. The figures for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are as follows:
	
		
			  Waste arisings 
			  Tonnes 
			   Total  Per FTE( 1) 
			 2006-07 3,878 0.197 
			 2007-08 3,711 0.198 
			 (1) FTE stands for 'full time equivalent' (member of staff).

Departmental Water

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the water consumption on his Department's estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport reports its water consumption figures through the annual Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report. The scope for water consumption changed from offices only in 2005-06 to the entire estate in 2006-07. As a result of this change in scope, the Department reset its baseline for water consumption. Therefore the water consumption figures for 2005-06 and 2006-07 are now as follows:
	
		
			  Water consumption 
			   Total m( 3)  m( 3)  per FTE( 1) 
			 2005-06 174,921 10.1 
			 2006-07 205,091 10.4 
			 (1) Full-time equivalent (member of staff). 
		
	
	The above figures represent the whole estate. To break these figures down to office and non-office data would incur disproportionate costs.

M25

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs which would be created by  (a) widening and  (b) applying hard shoulder running on (i) section 2 and (ii) section 5 of the M25.

Chris Mole: The number of jobs which would be created for these two projects has not been assessed because the schemes have yet to be designed in enough detail to determine the resources required.

Motor Vehicles: Foreigners

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2009,  Official Report, column 959W, on motor vehicles: foreigners, what steps his Department takes to enforce compliance with the requirement to re-register foreign-registered cars after six months of using UK roads.

Paul Clark: holding answer 19 June 2009
	 The Department for Transport operates a strategy of education, warning and direct enforcement to help compliance with the requirement to re-register foreign vehicles after six months using UK roads. Education activities have involved presentations to community leaders, articles in the media, the issue of information leaflets and warning notices placed on vehicle windscreens. At the point a warning is delivered the vehicle details will be recorded. This allows the length of time a vehicle is likely to have been circulating in the UK to be calculated. If a foreign registered vehicle is believed to have been in the UK for more than six months, the police or local authorities with devolved authority or NSL Ltd. have the power to wheel clamp and impound unlicensed vehicles.

Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much his Department and its agencies have spent on preparatory work on uncompleted projects for conventional widening of the  (a) M1,  (b) M6 and  (c) M62.

Chris Mole: The cost of preparatory work for uncompleted conventional widening projects on  (a) the M1 is £47 million  (b) the M6 is £10 million, and  (c) M62 is £1.6 million.
	This includes consultant costs for preliminary design, traffic modelling, aerial surveys, hard shoulder surveys, environmental assessment, air quality measurements and production of model, public exhibitions and consultation with key stakeholders.
	Information gathered from a number of these activities remains pertinent to the project irrespective of its mode of delivery and will be utilised wherever possible.
	In relation to the M1 this covers three schemes of approximately 104 miles length in total, dating back to July 2003.

Parking: Disabled

John Barrett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what guidance his Department issues on the percentage of parking spaces in public car parks to be made available for disabled drivers.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 19 June 2009
	The Department for Transport's "Inclusive Mobility" document provides guidance on established best practice on access for disabled people to the pedestrian and transport environment. Section 5 covers car parking and recommends the following spaces for disabled motorists:
	(i)For car parks associated with existing employment premises: 2 per cent. of the total car park capacity, with a minimum of one space.
	Spaces for disabled employees must be additional to those recommended above; reservations could be ensured, for example, by marking a space with a registration number.
	(ii) For car parks associated with new employment premises: 5 per cent. of the total parking capacity should be designated (to include both employees and visitors).
	(iii) For car parks associated with shopping areas, leisure or recreational facilities, and places open to the general public: A minimum of one space for each employee who is a disabled motorist, plus 6 per cent. of the total capacity for visiting disabled motorists.
	The numbers of designated spaces may need to be greater at hotels and sports stadiums that specialize in accommodating groups of disabled people.

Railways

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has targets for the proportion of domestic freight and passenger transport made by rail.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not set such targets, but it is Government policy to encourage the development of sustainable passenger and freight transport.
	The Department is taking full account of the potential for freight modal shift from road to rail in its ongoing work to consider future investment and other priorities for key national network corridors. It is also an important consideration in the development of the Department's Carbon Reduction Strategy.

Railways: Electrification

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will assess the likely effect on levels of carbon dioxide emissions of electrifying the entire rail network.

Chris Mole: Rail currently emits about 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide directly from diesel consumption and is indirectly responsible for about 1.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide produced by the electricity generating sector. Electrifying the rail network would remove carbon emissions associated with diesel consumption, but increase emissions from power stations. The net effect would be a reduction in rail related emissions of about 0.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Railways: Finance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much funding the Government provided to each train operating company franchise per passenger mile in 2008-09.

Chris Mole: Government spending on the railway for the year ending 31 March 2009 is currently being audited. Subsidy paid along with premiums received from Train Operating Companies for the year 2007-08 is published in National Rail Trends (NRT) which also sets out the amount of subsidy per passenger kilometre. The next National Rail Trends yearbook will be published by the Office of Rail Regulation later in the year and will include the data requested. Copies of the latest version are available in the Libraries of the House.

Railways: Franchises

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many franchise agreements with train operating companies in force in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10 contained revenue support clauses.

Chris Mole: All franchise agreements let from 2003 onwards have revenue support/revenue share clauses in Schedule 8 of the National Rail Franchise Terms. The Train Operating Companies with these provisions are:
	Cross Country
	East Midland Trains
	First Capital Connect
	First Great Western
	London Midland
	London Southeastern Railway
	National Express East Anglia
	National Express East Coast
	Northern Rail
	Virgin West Coast.
	This list will include the new Southern Franchise when it begins on 20 September 2009.
	Full details of revenue support/revenue share can be found on the Department for Transport's website's Public Register of Franchise Agreements:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/publicregister/

Reading Station: Repairs and Maintenance

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of works to Reading station; and how much of this cost will result from the payment of compensation to train operating companies.

Chris Mole: holding answer 8 June 2009
	The Reading scheme is a five-year project, with a total value of some £800 million, increasing capacity and improving performance at a key railway junction on the Great Western Main Line.
	The whole project is still being finalised by Network Rail and the detailed specification is likely to be agreed with that company in the near future.
	Network Rail is aware of the outputs required by Government, in terms of additional capacity and sustained performance, but importantly the need to deliver these within the financial resources determined by the Office of Rail Regulation. The Department for Transport is also working with the railway industry to minimise any adverse impact on the operational railway during the construction phases and the need to make compensation payments to operating companies.

Roads

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his most recent assessment is of the capacity of the existing road network for  (a) car and  (b) freight usage.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport published forecasts of traffic and associated congestion, journey times and emissions for the English road network in December 2008. The report is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/economics/ntm/roadtransport forcasts08/
	and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Roads in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved Administrations.

Roads: Construction

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of  (a) the effect of whisper concrete on roads and  (b) its future use.

Chris Mole: The Highways Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport is currently carrying out research on the acoustic performance of quieter surfaces over time. A section of the trunk road network with whisper concrete is included as part of this research. The results of the research and the conclusions are expected to be finalised by early 2010. There is no plan at present for the reintroduction of whisper concrete on the trunk road network.

Shipping

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  what incidents where  (a) chemicals and  (b) radioactive material were lost overboard (i) in UK waters and (ii) elsewhere from UK-registered ships took place in each year since 1985; and what the (A) location, (B) chemicals or materials involved and (C) amount subsequently recovered was in each case;
	(2)  on how many occasions  (a) court actions and  (b) fines have resulted from incidents where (i) chemicals and (ii) radioactive material have been lost overboard in (A) UK waters and (B) elsewhere from UK-registered ships since 1985; and what (1) type of conviction and (2) level of fine there was in each case in respect of which legal proceedings have been completed.

Paul Clark: Details of incidences of hazardous material (including chemicals) being released from ships in the UK pollution control zone are given in annual reports produced by the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea. Recent reports are available on the website of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
	There have been no reported incidences of radioactive material being lost overboard since 1985.
	Since 1989 the Department for Transport has sponsored reports on events involving the transport of radioactive material in the UK. These reports will include details of any known incidents where radioactive material was lost during transport by sea. Copies have been placed in the House Libraries and more recent ones are available via the DFT website at the following address:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freiqht/dgt1/road/quidance/guidance/guidance7class/theradiologicalimpactofthetr1178

Southern: Railway Stations

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what definition of station deep cleans is stipulated in the South Central franchise.

Chris Mole: Within the London area, the station deep clean specification was agreed by the Department for Transport and Transport for London before the franchise specification was published in November 2008. Bidders were obliged to meet these minimum standards as part of their bid which will be assessed via a Mystery Shopping Exercise to be conducted by Transport for London. The specification covers all areas of the station that are under the control of the train operator. This specification will be published alongside the other various franchise documents once commercial elements of the agreement have been discussed with the train operator.
	Outside London, the bidder offered a station deep clean package, which was not a requirement of our specification. The exact specification of this programme will be agreed between the Department and GoVia, the winning bidder in the next few months.

Southern: Standards

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what  (a) enhancements and  (b) investments stipulated in the South Central franchise were stipulated as part of the 2007 High Level Output Statement.

Chris Mole: The High Level Output Specification specifies increased levels of demand that must be accommodated on the network. In the case of South Central this relates to London Victoria and London Bridge. The South Central invitation to tender set out a minimum increase in vehicle arrivals at the London terminals (morning peak) and departures (evening peak) that make use of the lengthened platforms that Network Rail will provide.
	Overall the invitation to tender required a 10 per cent. increase in morning peak capacity. The winning bidder exceeds this requirement, with a 14 per cent. increase in morning peak capacity by December 2013.

Transport

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) reviewed on (i) the efficacy of local transport plans and (ii) other methods for improving transport services and infrastructure at (A) local and (B) regional level.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport (DfT) commissioned a long-term process and impact evaluation of the Local Transport Plan policy following its introduction in the 1998 Transport White Paper. The research project ran from December 2001 to April 2007—the final report is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pqr/reqional/ltp/research/
	The research identified that the Government's approach to local transport planning and delivery since the White Paper had been successful and represented value for money in terms of the investment made.
	The Department commissions a wide range of other research to help improve transport services and infrastructure at a local and regional level. Examples include research recently commissioned on programme and risk management for local authorities; research on the importance of "soft factors" in delivering bus passenger growth and modal shift from cars, and a study on how local authorities access information on best practice. It is intended that DfT's most recent regional and local research strategy is published this summer, which will provide details on local and regional transport research.

Transport: Devon

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the average number of journeys per day by each mode of transport between London and  (a) the Torbay area,  (b) the South Devon area and  (c) Devon.

Sadiq Khan: The requested information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

JUSTICE

Probation : Manpower

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to recruit new staff to monitor the new monthly targets for the London Probation Service.

Maria Eagle: This will be undertaken using existing resources both within London probation and the London director of offender management's team.

Crimes of Violence: Reoffenders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 954-55W, on crimes of violence: reoffenders, what the conviction rate was for persons charged with murder who were notified to the National Offender Management Service in each year since 2006-07.

Jack Straw: Further to my answer of 11 June 2009, the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2007, published on 30 October 2008 record that, for 2006-7, 74 offenders who were under the supervision of the Probation Service were convicted of murder, and for 2007-8, 47. These figures, together with those provided in my earlier answer, show that, at the time OMCS 2007 was published, murder convictions as a proportion of serious further offence notifications for murder were 57 per cent. for 2006-7 and 4 per cent. for 2007-8. However, at the time of publication, not all cases had gone to trial.
	The Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2008, which are scheduled for publication on 31 July 2009, will contain serious further offence convictions and other outcomes for 2008-9 and updated figures for 2007-8.

Crimes of Violence: Sentencing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how long on average a person in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point convicted of (i) grievous bodily harm and (ii) violent disorder was sentenced to serve in custody in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Claire Ward: The data provided in the following table show the average custodial sentence length (ACSL) for offenders in the Essex police area force, for grievous bodily harm and violent disorder. Data are not available for Castle Point. The data are for the offences of grievous bodily harm or violent disorder where such an offence was the principal offence for which the offender was sentenced. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed, where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.
	
		
			  Average custodial sentence length( 1)  (months) for grievous bodily harm and violent disorder, Essex police force area, 2007 
			   Number/months 
			 Number of immediate custodial sentences—grievous bodily harm(2) 73 
			 Average custodial sentence length 27.0 
			   
			 Number of immediate custodial sentences—violent disorder(3) 0 
			 Average custodial sentence length (4)— 
			 (1) Excludes indeterminate and life sentences.  (2) Offences of: wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm; causing explosion or casting corrosive fluids with intent to do grievous bodily harm; malicious wounding; racially aggravated malicious wounding or GBH; religiously aggravated wounding or GBH, racially or religiously aggravated wounding or GBH.  (3) Public Order Act 1986.  (4) Not applicable.   Note:  These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.   Source:  OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice.

Debt Collection: Fees and Charges

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the appropriateness level of costs charged by bailiffs in the execution of duties ordered by  (a) the courts and  (b) local authorities.

Bridget Prentice: The current fee system for enforcement agents is complex, each enforcement power bringing with it a different fee structure. The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act (the Act) 2007 will introduce a unified fee regime, which will ensure that bailiffs are adequately and fairly remunerated for the work they actually do. We are assessing the current level of costs for all the different debt types to inform the new fee structure which includes the courts and local authorities.

Departmental Buildings

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on works and refurbishment to offices allocated to Ministers in his Department's buildings in the last 12 months.

Michael Wills: The amount spent by the Ministry of Justice in the last 12 months on works and refurbishment to offices allocated to Ministers is £279,235.00.
	Of this amount £104,656.00 related to interior works (including partition work, ceilings, doors, ironmongery, redecorations, floor finishes and mechanical); £128,868.00 related to associated electrical work; £1,445.00 for other minor adjustments and £44,266.00 related to fees.
	The incremental costs include works directly attributable to the formation of the Ministry of Justice. Specifically, the appointment of a fifth junior Minister and the creation of an appropriate secure environment for the Secretary of State and his security advisers.
	The timing of these decisions required the works to be undertaken subsequent to the initial planned building refurbishment.

Departmental Electricity

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the percentage of electricity used by his Department which was derived from renewable sources in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007, this answer gives the figure for 2007-08. The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide the percentage of electricity derived from renewable sources for 2006-07 without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The estimate made of the percentage of electricity derived from renewable sources used by the Ministry of Justice in 2007-08 was 8 per cent.

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007, this answer gives the figure for 2007-08. The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide the energy consumed for 2006-07 without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in 2007-08 was 17,996 kWh based upon total energy consumption of 1,680,602,541 kWh and 93,385 FTEs (includes MoJ core estate plus executive agencies). Please note that the total energy consumption figure includes energy consumed by prisoners within HM Prison Service and visitors within HM Courts Service.

Departmental ICT

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent upgrading its IT in 2008-09.

Jack Straw: Details of significant expenditure incurred on upgrading IT in the 2008-09 financial year are as follows:
	The Criminal Justice System Exchange infrastructure—expenditure for 2008-09 was £6.7 million.
	The NOMIS Programme to upgrade IT across the National Offender Management Service is providing Her Majesty's Prison Service and national probation service staff with improved access to information to support end-to-end offender management processes. Expenditure for 2008-09 was £91 million, which included the main costs of developing and implementing new applications, infrastructure costs and supporting the live services.
	In addition, the Ministry of Justice's other main IT services are provided through contracts with external suppliers. These contracts include provision for regular maintenance and upgrade of the infrastructures and applications to keep systems up to date and to improve business efficiency. The costs of upgrades are included in the overall contract expenditure and could not be identified separately without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to (i) all staff and (ii) senior Civil Service staff in 2008-09; and how many such payments were made.

Jack Straw: The information requested is as follows.
	 Staff on core Ministry of Justice terms and conditions (including HMCS, Tribunals Service and MoJ HQ)
	Payments of non-consolidated performance pay are paid to high performing staff to reflect their individual contribution during the previous performance year. In the Ministry of Justice, the performance year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Therefore, 2007-08 was the relevant performance year for the payments made during the financial year 2008-09
	For grades below the SCS, non-consolidated performance pay is paid to those staff who have been judged to have consistently exceeded their objectives throughout the performance year under the Ministry's performance management system.
	During 2008-09 1,676 staff were paid £2,011,200 in non-consolidated performance pay.
	 Staff employed in the NOMS Agency (including Public Sector Prisons)
	In the HMPS, the performance year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Therefore, 2007-08 was the relevant performance year for the payments made during the financial year 2008-09
	For grades below the SCS end of year end performance bonuses are paid to staff who have consistently exceeded their objectives throughout the performance year.
	During 2008-09 5,332 staff were paid £1,325,952 in non-consolidated performance pay.
	We are unable to ascertain performance payments made for Probation HQ staff who now fall within NOMS (but were within the Home Office during the reporting period) as figures for this group were not separated from the Home Office total.
	 Senior Civil Service
	For Senior Civil Servants in the Ministry of Justice and agencies (whose pay terms are set by the Ministry of Justice) end of year payments of non consolidated performance pay are allocated by the Departmental Pay Committee in accordance with guidelines issued by Cabinet Office each year following the Senior Salaries Review Body recommendations.
	During 2008-09, 159 members of the Senior Civil Service were awarded end of year performance pay. The amount paid was £1,648,000.

Departmental Pay

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Department in 2008-09; and what the total cost of such bonuses was;
	(2)  how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Department in 2008-09; and what the cost was of such bonuses.

Jack Straw: In year payments of non-consolidated performance pay may be made to recognise one off contributions made by individuals or teams. Information regarding the number and cost of bonus payments is set out as follows.
	 Staff on core Ministry of Justice terms and conditions (Including HMCS, Tribunals Service, and MoJ HQ)
	Payment of non-consolidated performance pay to staff below the SCS may be either 'end of year' payments or 'in year'.
	'End of year' payments of non-consolidated performance pay are made as part of the annual pay award to staff to staff who have performed at a level beyond that which would normally be expected throughout the performance year.
	1,676 staff received non-consolidated performance pay during 2008-09 and the amount paid was £2,011,200 (excluding employer's national insurance contributions). This represented approximately 0.4 per cent. of the overall paybill.
	'In year' payments of non-consolidated performance pay are 'one off' payments made to recognise outstanding individual performance on specific occasions during the year.
	4,094 staff were awarded 'in year' non-consolidated performance pay for the 2008-09 financial year and the amount paid was £2,105,719 representing 0.4 per cent. of the paybill.
	 The NOMS Agency
	Payment of non-consolidated performance pay to staff below the SCS may be either 'end of year' payments or 'in year'. End of year performance pay is paid to staff who have consistently exceeded their objectives throughout the performance year.
	In HMPS, the performance year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Therefore, 2007-08 was the relevant performance year for end of year payments made during the financial year 2008-09.
	During 2008-09, 5,332 HMPS staff below SCS were paid £1,325,952 in 'end of year' non-consolidated performance pay (excluding employer's national insurance contributions). This represented 0.3 per cent. of the relevant paybill.
	We are unable to ascertain performance payments made for Probation HQ staff who now fall within NOMS (but were within the Home Office during the reporting period).
	6,198 HMPS staff received 'in-year' non-consolidated performance pay, amounting to £2,855,812. (Excluding employer's national insurance contributions). This represented approximately 0.22 per cent. of the paybill.
	Six payments of 'in-year' non-consolidated performance pay were made to chief executives of the Probation Trusts. The amount paid was £26,477. (excluding employer's national insurance contributions).
	 The Senior Civil Service
	For senior civil servants in the Ministry of Justice and agencies including the NOMS Agency whose pay terms are set by the Ministry of Justice end of year payments of non-consolidated performance pay are allocated by the Departmental Pay Committee in accordance with guidelines issued by Cabinet Office each year following the Senior Salaries Review Body recommendations.
	During 2008-09, 159 members of the senior civil service were awarded 'end of year' performance pay. The amount paid was £1,648,000. (excluding employer's national insurance contributions). This represents 8.4 per cent. of the overall paybill for these staff.
	As described above, we will have comprehensive details of 'in year' payments of non-consolidated performance pay for the 2008-09 financial year in early June and will write to you with these details.

Departmental Recycling

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) volume and  (b) percentage of waste his Department recycled in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007, this answer gives the amount of waste recycled for the year 2007-08. The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide the volume and percentage of waste recycled for 2006-07 without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The volume of waste the Ministry of Justice recycled in 2007-08 was 15,635.6 tonnes and the percentage recycled was 22 per cent. This information was published in the seventh annual "Sustainable Development in Government Report (SDiG)":
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2008/

Departmental Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on health and safety training for its staff in each of the last two years.

Jack Straw: The expenditure on Health and Safety Training by the Ministry is stated as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  2008-09  
			 Ministry of Justice HQ 47,366 
			 HM Courts Service 286,805 
			 Tribunals Service 21,523 
			 Office of the Public Guardian 500 
			 Total 356,194 
			   
			  2007-08  
			 Ministry of Justice HQ 60,441 
			 HM Courts Service 293,552 
			 Tribunals Service 19,810 
			 Office of the Public Guardian 500 
			 Total 374,303 
		
	
	The expenditure incurred is for external training courses, conducted by approved Health and Safety training consultants.
	To supplement these external courses, internal Health and Safety training is provided across the Ministry by in-house staff. To obtain an accurate figure for this would incur disproportionate cost.
	The National Offender Management Service employs over 50,000 staff in more than 140 locations. At present, there is no single central point for management information relating to health and safety training for staff. To obtain the information requested would involve identifying and contacting sources of information in many different locations and would thus incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental Waste

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the amount of waste arising from his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007, this answer gives the figure for 2007-08. The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide the estimate of waste arising in 2006-07 without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The estimate made of total waste arising from the Ministry of Justice in 2007-08 was 71,060 tonnes. The amount per full-time equivalent member of staff in 2007-08 was 0.76 tonnes based upon 93,385 full-time equivalent members of staff (Ministry of Justice core estate plus executive agencies). This includes waste generated by prisoners within HM Prison Service and visitors within HM Courts Service.

Departmental Water

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the water consumption on his Department's estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007. The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide the information on water consumption for 2005-06 and 2006-07 without incurring disproportionate costs.

Drugs: Misuse

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) probation staff and  (b) staff work for the Interventions and Substance Misuse Department.

Jack Straw: Of 157 staff currently in post in the National Offender Management Service's Interventions and Substance Misuse Group 10 are probation staff.
	Prior to the NOMS Agency being formed in 2008, the Prison Service tended to manage interventions centrally whereas the probation service managed interventions regionally. Hence ISMG, being a central headquarters function, has largely been formed from existing groups that were previously part of HM Prison Service.

Homicide: Sentencing

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average sentence was for offenders convicted of attempted murder or conspiracy to murder in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The requested information is shown in the following table. The data show the number of persons sentenced in the last five years, for attempted murder or soliciting or conspiracy to murder and the average custodial sentence length (ACSL). ACSL excludes the growing number of indeterminate sentences.
	These are given to the most serious offenders and may cause ACSL to appear lower in recent years.
	
		
			  Number of persons sentenced, number of indeterminate sentences and Average Custodial Sentence Length (ACSL)( 1) , for attempted murder( 2)  or conspiracy to murder( 3) , 2003-07 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Attempted murder  
			 Total number sentenced 94 96 66 79 87 
			 Total indeterminate sentences 14 14 9 37 44 
			 ACSL (years) 11.3 11.3 11.8 11.8 13.4 
			  Soliciting or conspiracy to murder  
			 Total number sentenced 29 10 13 13 21 
			 Total indeterminate sentences 9 0 0 5 10 
			 ACSL (years) 10.4 10.8 8.6 12.0 6.6 
			 (1) Excludes life/indeterminate sentences (2) Common law (3) Offences Against the Person Act 1861 S.4  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system  Source:  OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	These data are based on the principal offence. Where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence, the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed. Where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences, the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.

Homicide: Sentencing

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders prosecuted for  (a) attempted murder and  (b) conspiracy to murder (i) were found guilty, (ii) received a caution, (iii) received a fine, (iv) received a community sentence, (v) were placed in immediate custody, (vi) received a suspended sentence and (vii) received another disposal in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: Information showing the number of persons cautioned, proceeded against, found guilty, and sentenced (broken down by outcome) for attempted murder and conspiracy to murder for 2007 (latest available) is shown in the table. 2008 data will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Number of persons cautioned( 1) , proceeded against at magistrates' courts, found guilty at all courts, sentenced, broken down by outcome, or attempted murder( 2)  and conspiracy to commit murder( 3) , England and Wales, 2007( 4,5) 
			   Outcome of sentence 
			  Offence  Cautioned  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Sentenced  Fine  Community sentence  Suspended sentence  Immediate custody  Other disposals 
			 Attempted murder — 333 87 87 — 1 2 74 10 
			 Conspiracy to commit murder 3 33 21 21 — — — 21 — 
			 (1) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (2) Includes Attempted Murder, under Common Law. (3) Includes Conspiracy or soliciting etc; to commit murder under Common Law. (4) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit - Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Legal Aid

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much legal aid has been granted to parents seeking access rights to children in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission is unable to identify the amount of legal aid granted solely to parents for contact applications from its case management system, as these applications can also be made by wider family members, such as grandparents or older siblings. These proceedings can also include other issues as well as contact, such as residence, parental responsibility and specific issue orders, and these costs will be included in the certificate costs.
	In the past five financial years the following amounts have been paid in closed certificates that involve contact issues.
	
		
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 2004-05 78 
			 2005-06 86 
			 2006-07 92 
			 2007-08 103 
			 2008-09 124 
		
	
	A small proportion of the increase in 2008-09 is due to the Legal Services Commission undertaking an exercise to close dormant certificates.
	The figures do not include the costs of initial legal advice on contact provided under the controlled Family Help Scheme, as this information is not recorded.

Legal Aid

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of legal aid spending was incurred for lawyers' attendance at  (a) police stations,  (b) magistrates courts and  (c) Crown courts in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: The question cannot be answered in the format requested since amounts spent on actual attendance cannot be separately identified. Information is available for 2004-05 to 2007-08 only.
	The following table gives the proportions of total legal aid expenditure for police stations, magistrates courts and the Crown court for attendance related work and includes work done in preparation for attendance. Work which is clearly not related to attendance such as police station telephone advice has been excluded. Expenditure not related to police stations, magistrates courts and the Crown court, such as representation for prisoners at prison disciplinary hearings has also been excluded.
	Overall legal aid expenditure is made up of criminal and civil legal aid. The Legal Services Commission's annual reports show the spend each year between the two schemes.
	
		
			  Proportions of overall legal aid expenditure 
			  Percentage 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Police stations 8.1 8.7 9.7 8.2 
			 Magistrates courts 14.4 14.7 15.4 12.1 
			 Crown court 33.5 34.2 32.5 34.2

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the costs of the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Programme have been in each year since it began.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice and Department of Health have worked together to establish a range of pilot services for dangerous offenders with severe personality disorder in prisons, high and medium secure national health service (NHS) facilities and the community. The programme was announced in 2001 as a commitment to provide at least an extra 300 places for offenders who fell into the dangerous and severe personality disorder category.
	The total capital investment for the programme has been £128 million. This expenditure resulted in three high secure units (two in hospitals and one in a prison), three medium secure units and two NHS hostels. It is estimated that across the NHS and the National Offender Management Service in each year between 2003-04 and 2005-06 the revenue expenditure incurred was £40 million and since 2006-07, £60 million, reflecting the increase in the available places over that period. The costs include the provision of assessment and treatment, a research and evaluation programme, and for the central team responsible for the development and management of the programme.

Probation: Finance

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how the speedy recall processes to be introduced in the London Probation Service will be funded.

Maria Eagle: London Probation is already required to complete and submit recall breach reports within the national target of 24 hours. The intention is that existing processes will be improved to ensure compliance with the target and that this work will be undertaken within existing resources. London Probation is committed to working closely with its partner agencies, the Metropolitan police and the National Offender Management Service Public Protection Casework Section, to improve the efficiency of the recall process from the initiating of recall by London Probation through to the arrest by the police. This work is being monitored by the London Criminal Justice Board and the London Director of Offender Management.

Probation: Finance

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget was for each probation area in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The resource budget allocations to individual probation areas from 2001-02 are given in the table. Prior to 2001-02 probation services were delivered through local probation committees which were partly funded by local authorities and were organised on a slightly different basis.
	The budget figures shown for 2009-10 may be subject to further change.
	Since 2001-02 there have been changes to the budget allocation methodology, plus machinery of government changes and accounting methodology changes that make it difficult to compare figures over a long period.
	
		
			  Probation areas end-year budgets—at 16 June2009 
			  £000 
			   Revenue 
			  Areas  2009-10  2008-09  2007-08  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02 
			 Avon and Somerset 20,300 20,727 20,661 19,771 18,273 16,851 15,612 14,891 15,856 
			 Bedfordshire 9,556 9,571 8,863 8,499 8,180 7,182 6,517 6,196 5,526 
			 Cambridgeshire 10,092 10,341 9,727 9,273 8,895 7,375 6,835 6,168 6,365 
			 Cheshire 15,133 15,571 14,715 15,688 15,393 13,427 11,692 10,012 8,984 
			 Cumbria 8,626 8,376 8,217 7,897 7,466 6,241 6,279 5,710 5,288 
			 Derbyshire 14,042 15,168 13,490 12,891 12,166 11,088 10,335 9,516 8,534 
			 Devon and Cornwall 20,306 21,037 20,225 19,638 18,184 15,646 15,667 13,967 12,740 
			 Dorset 9,067 9,408 8,522 8,277 7,989 7,338 7,307 6,876 5,761 
			 Durham 10,615 11,148 10,720 10,245 9,513 8,697 7,820 7,431 5,975 
			 Essex 19,325 20,319 19,977 18,922 17,839 16,220 14,849 14,502 13,700 
			 Gloucestershire 7,677 7,858 7,379 6,959 6,524 5,975 5,874 5,102 4,943 
			 Hampshire 24,868 25,614 24,338 23,057 21,872 20,026 18,427 18,079 13,841 
			 Hertfordshire 11,468 11,750 11,265 10,569 9,618 8,691 8,409 8,654 7,034 
			 Humberside 17,377 18,380 17,187 16,130 14,964 13,010 12,422 11,090 9,414 
			 Kent 21,449 21,798 20,993 20,340 19,052 16,760 16,322 15,116 13,673 
			 Lancashire 24,516 24,406 22,979 21,394 20,251 18,837 18,600 16,859 14,307 
			 Leicestershire 15,237 15,668 14,402 13,805 13,071 11,778 11,086 9,911 8,774 
			 Lincolnshire 9,436 9,794 9,292 9,038 8,446 7,469 7,134 6,127 5,606 
			 Norfolk 11,582 11,980 11,168 10,608 10,205 8,477 7,927 7,171 6,543 
			 Northamptonshire 9,389 9,673 9,116 8,816 8,149 7,158 6,920 6,018 5,131 
			 North Yorkshire 9,827 10,350 10,236 9,478 8,998 7,937 7,486 6,877 5,701 
			 Nottinghamshire 19,303 19,686 19,057 18,117 17,190 14,861 14,232 13,220 11,658 
			 Staffordshire 16,885 17,260 16,393 15,913 14,361 12,319 11,769 10,930 9,586 
			 Suffolk 10,018 10,243 9,643 9,445 8,771 7,583 7,361 6,889 6,268 
			 Surrey 10,249 10,953 10,396 10,081 9,421 7,779 7,784 7,523 6,881 
			 Sussex 18,074 18,388 17,373 16,991 15,677 14,033 12,789 11,367 10,396 
			 Teesside 13,408 13,715 13,606 13,052 12,178 10,954 10,613 9,523 9,805 
			 Thames Valley 25,776 26,614 25,405 24,373 23,421 20,795 19,787 18,463 20,831 
			 Warwickshire 7,177 7,538 6,937 6,743 6,492 5,698 5,452 4,749 4,368 
			 West Mercia 15,217 15,692 15,445 13,642 13,197 11,774 11,188 10,057 9,251 
			 Wiltshire 8,064 8,214 7,874 7,720 7,224 5,964 5,510 4,874 4,606 
			 Greater Manchester 51,577 52,798 48,309 47,532 45,645 40,985 38,521 34,479 31,731 
			 Merseyside 31,729 32,756 29,263 28,820 28,643 25,798 24,621 22,410 23,062 
			 Northumbria 29,109 29,801 27,646 26,964 26,005 22,999 22,113 18,459 16,641 
			 South Yorkshire 24,977 25,511 24,282 24,058 23,041 20,858 20,381 18,191 16,153 
			 West Midlands 56,913 59,331 55,055 53,377 50,140 44,076 41,932 38,581 37,865 
			 West Yorkshire 41,080 42,982 40,036 38,193 36,226 33,366 30,986 28,062 26,931 
			 London 150,384 153,617 143,404 137,416 132,637 107,888 110,390 106,612 94,328 
			 Dyfed Powys 8,417 8,960 8,295 8,058 7,541 6,478 5,784 5,162 4,579 
			 Gwent 11,172 11,404 11,252 10,930 10,018 8,938 8,029 7,197 5,215 
			 North Wales 12,244 12,530 11,786 11,696 11,027 10,067 9,044 8,223 6,774 
			 South Wales 24,624 25,566 25,226 24,402 23,098 20,917 19,328 18,104 17,062 
			 Total 886,285 912,496 860,172 828,817 786,995 690,312 661,130 609,348 557,686

Probation: Sick Leave

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of sickness absence in the Probation Service in  (a) London and  (b) the London Borough of Lewisham.

Maria Eagle: London Probation has put in place a number of measures to tackle the levels of sickness in the whole area as well as in Lewisham and Greenwich. These include pro-active measures such as close monitoring by managers and return to work interviews, as well as a range of preventative measures such as health screens and stress management.

Probation: Training

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any specific funding is to be provided for the prioritised training ordered for the London Service.

Maria Eagle: There will be no additional funding provided for London Probation by National Offender Management Service. London Probation will fund this work from within their existing budget.

Rape: Convictions

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of those convicted of rape since 2006 were aged  (a) 10 to 15,  (b) 16 to 18,  (c) 19 to 25,  (d) 26 to 30 and  (e) over 30 years old.

Claire Ward: The number of defendants found guilty for rape (of a female and male) at all courts, by age group, England and Wales 2006 to 2007 can be viewed in the table.
	The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty of rape( 1)  at all courts, by age group, England and Wales 2006 and 2007( 2,3) 
			   2006  2007 
			  Age group  Found guilty  Percentage of total convictions  Found guilty  Percentage of total convictions 
			 10 to 15 years 31 4 34 4 
			 16 to 18 years 63 8 57 7 
			 19 to 25 years 142 19 148 19 
			 26 to 30 years 72 10 82 11 
			 Over 30 years 446 59 456 59 
			 Total 754 100 777 100 
			 (1) Includes rape of a female and rape of a male offences, but not attempted rape of a male or female. (2) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  OCJR - Evidence and Analysis Unit

Sentencing

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the sentencing guidelines for offences related to  (a) child abuse,  (b) child neglect and  (c) sexual abuse of children.

Claire Ward: Sentencing guidelines are issued to the courts by the independent Sentencing Guidelines Council, not by the Government. In April 2007, the Sentencing Guidelines Council published a definitive guideline on the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and in February 2008, they published a definitive guideline on the Overarching Principles: Assaults on Children and Cruelty to a Child.
	These and all other published guidelines can be viewed at:
	www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk

Sexual Offences: Reoffenders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the re-offending rate was for offenders convicted of sex offences who received  (a) a community sentence,  (b) a prison sentence of less than 12 months,  (c) a prison sentence of between 12 months and two years,  (d) a prison sentence of between two and four years and  (e) a prison sentence of over four years in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the re-offending rate was for offenders convicted of violent crimes who received  (a) a community sentence,  (b) a prison sentence of less than 12 months,  (c) a prison sentence of between 12 months and two years,  (d) a prison sentence of between two and four years and  (e) a prison sentence of over four years in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the re-offending rate was for offenders convicted of burglary who received  (a) a community sentence,  (b) a prison sentence of less than 12 months,  (c) a prison sentence of between 12 months and two years,  (d) a prison sentence of between two and four years and  (e) a prison sentence of over four years in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(4)  what the re-offending rate was for offenders convicted of robbery who received  (a) a community sentence,  (b) a prison sentence of less than 12 months,  (c) a prison sentence of between 12 months and two years,  (d) a prison sentence of between two and four years and  (e) a prison sentence of over four years in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(5)  what the re-offending rate was for offenders convicted of theft who received  (a) a community sentence,  (b) a prison sentence of less than 12 months,  (c) a prison sentence of between 12 months and two years,  (d) a prison sentence of between two and four years and  (e) a prison sentence of over four years in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: Tables 1 and 2 show the one-year adult reoffending rates for offenders in England and Wales released from custody or commencing a court order in the first quarter (1 January to 31 March) of 2007, for offenders convicted of sex offences (with sexual offences against children as a separate group), violent crimes, burglary (with domestic and non-domestic as separate groups), robbery and theft. The tables also show the proportion of offenders who committed at least one further offence and the frequency of offences per 100 offenders. It is important to note that a reoffence does not mean the offence is in the same category as the index offence. So an offender whose index offence was sexual who committed a number of reoffences, may have committed no more sexual offences.
	
		
			  Table 1: One-year reoffending rates, offenders commencing a court order or released from custody in q uarter 1 2007  by offence group 
			  Offence group/disposal  Number of offenders  Actual reoffending rate  Number of offences per 100 offenders 
			  Court orders( 1)
			 Violence 10,301 28.8 75.4 
			 Sexual 294 22.1 51.7 
			 Sexual (child) 209 12.0 32.1 
			 Domestic burglary 842 50.8 162.2 
			 Other burglary 1,082 57.6 207.1 
			 Robbery 144 36.1 94.4 
			 Theft 5,627 59.1 251.6 
			 
			  Custody
			 Violence 2,922 40.8 155.4 
			 Sexual 213 28.2 128.6 
			 Sexual (child) 377 6.9 16.2 
			 Domestic burglary 778 49.6 198.5 
			 Other burglary 504 67.9 318.7 
			 Robbery 672 35.6 123.7 
			 Theft 2,001 75.6 468.2 
			 (1 )Court orders include pre-CJA 2003 community sentences, new community orders and suspended sentence orders. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: One-year reoffending rates, offenders released from custody in quarter 1 2007 by offence group and sentence length 
			  Offence group/disposal  Number of offenders  Actual reoffending rate  Number of offences per 100 offenders 
			  Less than 12months
			 Violence 1,772 52.8 212.0 
			 Sexual 90 45.6 225.6 
			 Sexual (child) 53 3.8 (1)— 
			 Domestic burglary 180 62.2 300.6 
			 Other burglary 367 75.7 372.2 
			 Robbery (2)36 (2)66.7 (2)236.1 
			 Theft 1,868 79.5 495.2 
			 
			  12 months to less than 2 years
			 Violence 482 25.3 76.1 
			 Sexual (2)37 (2)32.4 (2)151.4 
			 Sexual (child) 78 11.5 (2)35.9 
			 Domestic burglary 227 50.2 181.1 
			 Other burglary 89 56.2 188.8 
			 Robbery 120 45.0 164.2 
			 Theft 86 26.7 112.8 
			 
			  2 years to less than 4 years
			 Violence 383 23.5 62.9 
			 Sexual (2)41 (2)7.3 (1)— 
			 Sexual (child) 113 5.3 (2)9.7 
			 Domestic burglary 301 44.5 165.8 
			 Other burglary (2)43 (2)30.2 (2)155.8 
			 Robbery 299 32.8 112.7 
			 Theft (2)38 (2)10.5 (2)34.2 
			 
			  4 years and over
			 Violence 285 16.1 61.8 
			 Sexual (2)45 (2)8.9 (2)26.7 
			 Sexual (child) 133 6.8 (2)14.3 
			 Domestic burglary 70 37.1 132.9 
			 Other burglary (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 Robbery 217 29.0 97.7 
			 Theft (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 (1) Data removed as extremely low numbers (less than or equal to 10 offenders or 10 offences) make the data unreliable for interpretation.  (2) Greater than 10 and less than 50 offenders or offences—treat the data with caution. 
		
	
	Further information on the one-year rates of reoffending can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm

Young Offenders: Education

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2009,  Official Report, column 894W, on young offenders: education, how much the Youth Justice Board was allocated for expenditure on education in each year since 1999.

Jack Straw: Funding was not allocated in 1999-2000, as 2000-01 was the first year in which the Government provided funding to the Youth Justice Board for expenditure on education.
	The following table therefore shows for each year from 2000-01 to 2008-09, (A) the total funding which the YJB has allocated for expenditure on education from its Ministry of Justice (and previously Home Office) grant; and, (B) the amount of DCSF (previously DFES and DFEE) funding allocated to the YJB for education expenditure.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Financial year  MoJ/HO funding allocated for expenditure on education by the YJB  DCSF/DFES/DFEE funding allocated to the YJB for expenditure on education 
			 2000-01 12 5 
			 2001-02 14 10 
			 2002-03 16 10 
			 2003-04 18 12 
			 2004-05 18 15 
			 2005-06 21 19 
			 2006-07 22 22 
			 2007-08 24 22 
			 2008-09 26 23

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Romsey of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 519W, on anti-social behaviour orders, on what date data for anti-social behaviour orders 2007 will be published.

Alan Johnson: The publication date for the antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) 2007 data has yet to be confirmed.

Bail

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions pre-charge bail conditions were imposed by the police in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009; in how many cases the subject of the conditions applied to the police for variation of the conditions in each of those years; how many such applications were unsuccessful; in how many of those cases the subject of the conditions appealed to a magistrates' court; and in how many such cases the bail conditions were (i) varied and (ii) overturned.

David Hanson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Departmental Contracts

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 289-90W, on departmental contracts, what the  (a) purpose and  (b) cost of the contracts awarded to each of the other organisations and bodies including named individuals was in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09.

Alan Johnson: The tables, based on centrally held management information, provide the  (a) purpose and  (b) cost of research contracts let by the Research, Development and Statistics group within the Home Office, awarded to organisations and bodies not funded by the higher education funding councils in 2007-08 and 2008-09. This includes contracts awarded to individuals who, whilst employed by an institute supported by the higher education funding councils, undertake work in a private capacity. The purpose is taken from the project title held centrally. The values of contracts are classified in the year the contracts were let; some of the costs for the contract would be for future years, as in the case of the largest contract listed—the £15 million for the British Crime Survey of which the majority of costs will be spread over three years. The costs of each contract represent the estimated cost at the time the contract was let and not on the actual costs incurred.
	
		
			  Table 1: Contracts awarded by the Research, Development and Statistics group within the Home Office to organisations and bodies, including named individuals, not funded by higher education councils in 2007-08 
			  Organisation  Title of project  Cost (£ ) 
			 Analytica Analysis of IPCC and Biometrics Registration Code of Practice Consultations 59,000 
			 BMRB British Crime Survey 15 million 
			 Dr. F. MacDonald Fish Welfare (Animal Procedures Committee) <10,000 
			 Dr. Ronald Clarke I-phones—research on he impact that the launch of the i-phone on crime levels and patterns in the USA <10,000 
			 Eurasylum The use and effectiveness of automated passenger border entry and exit systems: learning from experiences in other countries to inform BIA's automated clearance strategy 90,000 
			 Evidence Led Solutions Neighbourhood Policing—BCU Process Evaluation; and, A worked anonymised example of a strategic assessment <10,000 
			 Garry Robbins Quality Assurance of the Missing Data <10,000 
			 Geoff Berry Associates Neighbourhood Policing—BCU Process Evaluation <10,000 
			 HVR Consulting Quality Assure the Crime Reduction Modelling Methodology 15,000 
			 ICPR, Kings College Evaluation of the Licensing Act 2003 <10,000 
			 Independent Social Research Evaluation of neighbourhood policing: the experience of black and minority ethnic residents in the first year of implementation 11,000 
			 Institute for Employment Studies Understanding the perspective of potential sponsors on Points Based System (PBS) sponsorship arrangement 21,000 
			 Ipsos MORI Exploration of Regional Variation in Uptake of Powers used to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour 40,000 
			 Mark Underhill Consultancy Services to Home Office Forensic Science Regulation Unit 80,000 
			 Matrix Protective Service Evaluation (2 projects); and, Routes of Trafficking 489,000 
			 Morgan Harris Burrows Neighbourhood Policing—BCU Process Evaluation <10,000 
			 MVA Consultancy Analysis of IPCC and Biometrics Registration Code of Practice Consultations 90,000 
			 NatCen Extension of Use of FIP System; and, Evaluation of Intensive Family Intervention Projects 47,000 
			 ORC International Home Office Staff Survey 67,000 
			 Perpetuity Research and Consultancy TGAP—research on a variety of projects and interventions to tackle gangs and gang related crime. 50,000 
			 Professor Anthony Culyer Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor C. Dustmann Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor C. Godfrey Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor C. Hale Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor Clive Smee Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor M. Waterson Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor R. Vickerman Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor S. Machin Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 Professor S. Pudney Economic Strategy Panel <10,000 
			 RED Scientific Big Picture Plant—Whole System Modelling 20,000 
			 Risk Solutions An Evaluation of Alcohol Arrest Referral Schemes 150,000 
			 Robert Bramley Expert advisor to the Forensic Science Regulator Unit 13,000 
			 Transparency Research Ltd. Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP): a process and impact assessment 70,000 
			 York Consulting A review of theoretical and practical issues in the conceptualisation and measurement of labour shortages, skill shortages and skills gaps 15,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2. Contracts awarded by the Research, Development and Statistics group within the Home Office to organisations and bodies, including named individuals, not funded by higher education councils in 2008-09 
			  Organisation  Purpose (title of project)  Cost  (£ ) 
			 Alex Hirschfield Regional Team Advisors to the Regional Research and Analysis Team <10,000 
			 Evidence Led Solutions Regional Team Advisors to the Regional Research and Analysis Team (RRAP) and Senior Advisor Extension <10,000 
			 Geoff Berry Regional Team Advisors to the Regional Research and Analysis Team <10,000 
			 Ipsos MORI Neighbourhood Policing—Phase 2 (2 projects); The migrant survey: a feasibility study; and, Business Crime Survey scoping exercise: Methodological work to consider the scope and feasibility of developing a new survey to measure commercial victimisation. 229,000 
			 Julia Wickson Regional Team Advisors to the Regional Research and Analysis Team <10,000 
			 Mike Maguire Regional Team Advisors to the Regional Research and Analysis Team <10,000 
			 Morgan Harris Burrows Regional Team Advisors to the Regional Research and Analysis Team <10,000 
			 ORC International 2007 Staff Survey (Amendment 2) 64,000 
			 UCL Consultants Senior Advisor Extension <10,000

Energy Supply: Security

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what work the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure  (a) has undertaken and  (b) plans to undertake in relation to the energy sector.

David Hanson: The Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) is the Government authority that provides protective security advice to owners and operators across the national infrastructure.
	CPNI works closely with the national infrastructure organisations within the energy sector, in conjunction with the sector sponsor department, in order to identify vulnerabilities and help improve protection against national security threats. This includes delivery of an extensive programme of security enhancements at critical energy sites working with operators such as National Grid.
	For reasons of national security it would not be appropriate to disclose details of work carried out on such programmes.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received of allegations that a British resident, Mrs Balasingham, was involved in terrorist activities on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

David Hanson: We are aware that allegations have been made against a British resident of involvement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The investigation and prosecution of such allegations are operational matters for, respectively, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Offenders: Deportation

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the automatic deportation of foreign prisoners convicted of  (a) illegal gun possession and  (b) drug dealing.

Alan Johnson: We are targeting the most harmful first. We have met the Prime Minister's commitment to remove those that come to the UK and use guns or sell drugs. All Foreign Nationals who are sentenced to 12 months or more for offences relating to violence, sex or drugs are considered for deportation by UKBA. Foreign criminals from outside the EEA found guilty of serious drug and gun offences who receive a custodial sentence will also now be considered for deportation, regardless of length of sentence. Non-EEA nationals sentenced to 12 months or more will now be automatically considered for deportation.

Police: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the policing pledge in Greater Manchester.

David Hanson: It is for individual police forces and authorities to drive implementation of the Policing Pledge and assess its benefits for the public in their area. The Government will hold forces to account for progress through the single top-down targets we have set them to improve public confidence that crime and antisocial behaviour issues are being tackled locally, and in the light of inspection work by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).
	HMIC are currently assessing the progress that each police force in England and Wales is making on delivering the Policing Pledge. They published a report on their early findings from an initial scoping of seven forces on 9 June. The more detailed inspections of the Pledge commenced on 14 April and will conclude by 31 October 2009.

Terrorism

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 373W, on terrorism, how many people have been trained under Project Argus; and what the cost of the Project has been to date.

Alan Johnson: The police National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) advise that over 900 Project Argus events have been held since January 2007 with attendance at each event falling in the range 20 to 120. NaCTSO estimate that the cost of developing the various versions of Project Argus to date is about £380,000. Project Argus events are generally hosted by the business which requested it, and are delivered by police Counter Terrorism Security Advisers (CTSAs) who also perform other protective security functions.

United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) children and  (b) women over 18 years of age have been referred to the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre since the introduction of the national referral mechanism.

Alan Campbell: As at the end of April there have been a total of 35 referrals to the competent authorities based in UKHTC and UKBA. Of these 27 were female with nine referrals being of people under the age of 18.

Vetting

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether national guidance has been issued to police forces on information which should be included in Criminal Records Bureau disclosures;
	(2)  what criteria are used by police forces in deciding whether to  (a) include and  (b) exclude information in relation to a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure.

Alan Johnson: Section 114 B (4) of Part V of the Police Act 1997 requires that in addition to criminal record information from the Police National Computer (PNC), Enhanced Disclosures should include any other information which a chief police officer considers might be relevant to the job application in question.
	This is usually non-conviction information deriving from local force records and is referred to as 'approved information'; chief officers are obliged to provide such information for Enhanced Disclosures under the Act. Where disclosed, information of this nature is considered by the police to represent a factual record of previous events that an employer in the most sensitive type of occupation should be aware of in making an employment decision affecting the most vulnerable groups of people.
	Factors that would be taken into consideration when making decisions to disclose would include, but not be restricted to, the position the individual is currently applying for, the age of the information, whether the information might be directly relevant to the assessment of the person's suitability to work with children and whether it is reasonable to disclose the information, bearing in mind the human rights of the individuals concerned.
	In making such assessments, the chief officers follow guidelines including, Home Office circular 5 / 2005— "Criminal Records Bureau: Local Checks by Police Forces for the Purpose of Enhanced Disclosure" and this has been augmented by a process known as the Quality Assurance Framework. The circular makes clear that consideration has been given to a person's right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In this regard there is a section in the circular which details what factors should be considered in determining relevancy.
	The Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) is a standardised approach to processing local intelligence information relating to a Disclosure application held by Police Force Disclosure Units. QAF provides a step-by-step process framework that ensures that information is considered consistently and in the same way every time. searches performed on local systems using the QAF Framework and document set produce an audit trail that can be used for quality assurance and to assure QAF compliance.

Vetting

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosures were issued for those  (a) working with children,  (b) applying for an alcohol licence,  (c) applying to work as a licensed minicab driver,  (d) working with vulnerable adults and  (e) subject to a CRB check for another reason in each police force area in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many Criminal Records Bureau disclosures were issued in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Johnson: Since it's inception in 2002, the CRB has issued over 19 million disclosures and the following table shows this broken down by disclosures issued in each financial year.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 1,437,094 
			 2003-04 2,284,688 
			 2004-05 2,430,937 
			 2005-06 2,770,265 
			 2006-07 3,277,957 
			 2007-08 3,323,334 
			 2008-09 3,853,686 
		
	
	Of these, the following table shows the number of disclosure applications submitted in each financial year since inception that requested:
	checks against the Protection of Children Act (PoCA) list and List 99;
	checks against the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (PoVA) list for those individuals working within the care sector;
	checks against all lists.
	
		
			  Number 
			   PoCA checks  PoVA checks  All lists 
			 2002-03 1,209 6 61 
			 2003-04 1,557,904 29 7 
			 2004-05 1,338,278 369,149 527,856 
			 2005-06 1,215,074 516,062 924,627 
			 2006-07 1,401,528 483,961 1,124,745 
			 2007-08 1,390,153 487,441 1,312,159 
		
	
	The CRB is unable to provide this information based on employment sectors or broken down by each police force area because the information is not collated in this manner.
	These figures do not constitute part of national statistics as they are based on internal management information. The information has not been quality assured under national statistics protocols, should be treated as provisional and is subject to change.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her latest estimate is of the cost of hosting the London 2012 Olympics  (a) athletics events and  (b) opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympic Stadium.

Tessa Jowell: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has responsibility for staging the Olympic and Paralympic games including athletics events and the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympic Stadium.
	The budget announced at the end of 2007 for the Olympic Stadium was £496 million. This was increased to £504 million to include £8 million of structural enhancements to the roof in relation to loading requirements for the opening and closing ceremonies. Potential cost pressures arising from possible scope requirements and design development had been further estimated at an additional £43 million. Those cost pressures have now reduced to £34 million and are included currently in the Anticipated Final Cost published in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games—Quarterly Economic Report May 2009.
	The direct costs associated with staging the events at the stadium including the opening and closing ceremonies come from LOCOG's revenues which are primarily derived from commercial sponsorship, broadcast rights, ticket sales and merchandising/licensing—not from the public purse.
	There will be attributable costs to the public purse from London 2012 venues, including the Olympic Stadium and Park. However, these costs such as in security and transport systems have not yet been identified separately for individual events and will form part of the overall security and transport budgets.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the viability of a 14 to 25 academic hub for the creative industries.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 18 June 2009
	The University of the Arts London together with four secondary schools and two further education colleges in the London borough of Newham are currently carrying out a three-year pilot to establish how a 14-25 hub may work.
	The evaluation and review of the first year of the Newham Creative Hub will be published in December 2009 and disseminated via the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, the National Arts Learning Network and the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design networks, to the higher education sector.
	My Department will work with the member organisations to produce this report and will consider its findings.

Arts

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of progress on the Creative Britain project; how many apprenticeships have been created under the project; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 18 June 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) to my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Durham (Hilary Armstrong) on 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1264W.
	Since the Publication of Creative Britain, 400 apprenticeships have started on frameworks associated with the creative industries. These include the Creative Apprenticeships and the Quality Assurance Games Testing.
	This figure does not include apprentices working in the creative industries on non-creative apprenticeships. The National Apprenticeship Service will be able to calculate this information from September.

BBC

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what factors were taken into account in determining the Government's targets for levels of BBC enhanced network production in  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland.

Ben Bradshaw: Enhanced network production targets are the responsibility of the BBC Trust, who determine their targets independently of Government. However, the Government look to the BBC Trust to encourage the BBC to seek to exceed its targets in network production.

Broadcasting: Wales

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding will be made available for broadcasting in Wales as a result of proposals contained in the Digital Britain White Paper.

Ben Bradshaw: The White Paper sets out various proposals in respect of public service broadcasting, including Independently Funded News Consortia. The total amount of funding made available to the news pilot in Wales is contingent on the consultation on a contained contestable element within the licence fee.

Coastal Areas: Regeneration

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been made available for Bournemouth through the Sea Change Initiative; and what plans there are for further such expenditure.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 18 June 2009
	To date, Bournemouth has been allocated 455,000 through the Sea Change Programme. Bournemouth would be eligible to apply for funding from the current round of the programme but, as yet, we are not aware of any project being put forward.

Digital Broadcasting

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 981W, on digital broadcasting, for what reasons the Ulster region was the only region not to have an indicative take-up figure.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 19 June 2009
	In February, the sample size used for research in the Ulster region was too small to give a reasonable indication of take-up. However, since then the sample size for Ulster has been increased as the programme moved forward, and the DigitalUK tracker now estimates current take up at 74 per cent.

Digital Technology: Mass Media

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding will be made available for the pilot independently financed news consortia announced in the Digital Britain White Paper.

Ben Bradshaw: Funding for piloted news consortia will be determined following the consultation outlined in the Digital Britain Report and an examination of the scope of commercial revenue that could be achieved. The current cost of broadcast regional news in the nations ranges from 4 million to 7 million per nation per annum.

Digital Technology: Mass Media

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for how long the pilot independently financed news consortia announced in the Digital Britain White Paper are expected to last.

Ben Bradshaw: Pilots are expected to commence in 2010 and run until the end of 2012. This timetable will be subject to review.

Digital Technology: Mass Media

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when tenders will be invited for the pilot independently financed news consortia announced in the Digital Britain White Paper.

Ben Bradshaw: Our intention is to begin the pilots in 2010. The process for tender and award is currently being developed.

Digital Technology: Mass Media

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who will take decisions on tenders for the pilot independently financed news consortia announced in the Digital Britain White Paper.

Ben Bradshaw: The process for tender and award is currently being developed.

Film: Israel

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made on the implementation of the UK-Israel Film Co-production Treaty;
	(2)  what recent discussions his Department has had with the Government of Israel on collaboration between the UK and Israeli film industries.

Si�n Simon: We have completed the substantive negotiations with Israel on a film co-production agreement. There are some minor elements to be finalised, but we expect to be able to announce arrangements for the signing of this treaty in the summer.

Mass Media: Wales

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the merits of establishing a media commission for Wales.

Si�n Simon: The Government do not propose centrally to fund a new media commission for Wales as the costs have to be set against the other options and priorities for Government, especially as replicating media commissions in each of the UK's nations would substantially increase the overall costs. The Government are proposing to fund a piloted English language news provision in Wales.

Swimming

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations he has received on the funding by his Department of estimated local authority costs of operating the free swimming programme.

Ben Bradshaw: To date, my Department has recorded 112 written representations on the estimated local authority costs of operating the free swimming programme.

UK School Games: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what means the UK School Games has been funded in each of its first three years; and how it will be funded in each year to 2012.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 15 June 2009
	Since the inaugural UK School Games took place in 2006, funding for the annual event has come from a mixture of Exchequer, lottery, private sponsorship and host city money. The UK School Games runs until the end of the current spending period 2011, and we envisage that this funding arrangement will continue until then. Plans for the Games beyond 2011 have not been considered.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change: International Cooperation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the development of international financing mechanisms for mitigation and adaptation actions in developing countries as part of a climate agreement to be reached at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Joan Ruddock: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have been discussing the development of international finance mechanisms for mitigation and adaptation with our EU colleagues ahead of the EU Councils this year, as part of preparing the EU position in advance of Copenhagen. In particular, the UK is attracted to the Norwegian proposal (a market-based approach based on auctioning arrangements generating automatic revenues) as part of the solution. Spring Council conclusions directed future discussions towards such an approach among others. The UK is also attracted to the Mexican proposal which is based on all countries except the poorest contributing on the basis of an agreed scale. The latest ECOFIN conclusions endorsed this idea, with burden sharing based on the ability to pay and the responsibility for emissions. At Spring Council and again in ECOFIN the EU reaffirmed its commitment to contribute its fair share of international support in the context of a global and comprehensive agreement.

Earth Hour

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to support Earth Hour on 28 March 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 26 March 2009
	I apologise for the delay in this response. The Government are committed to achieving a successful outcome to the negotiations in Copenhagen later in the year, and campaigns such as Earth Hour play an important part in sending a strong message to world leaders that firm public support for positive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions comes from all parts of the globe. To show support for the campaign the lights were turned off in several Government buildings including the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Energy: Meters

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the Government's latest estimate is of the average cost of installing a smart meter.

Joan Ruddock: The Government published a consultation on smart metering on 11 May 2009 with an accompanying Impact Assessment (both documents are available from the Open Consultations section of the DECC website). The Impact Assessment contains estimates of smart meter installation costs.
	The estimated asset costs are 43 for a smart electricity meter and 56 for a smart gas meter. Installation costs are estimated at 29 for a smart electricity meter and 49 for a smart gas meter, or 68 for a dual fuel smart meter installation (where both gas and electricity smart meters are installed simultaneously). The cost for the communications link from the meters is estimated at 15 per household. In addition, the Government's expectation is that a standalone displayto provide customers with consumption information from smart meterswill be provided for each household. The cost of the display is estimated at 15.

Fuel Poverty: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to reduce levels of fuel poverty in Denton and Reddish constituency.

Joan Ruddock: The Government have a wide range of policies and programmes to tackle fuel poverty. The combination of Warm Front, CERT, Decent Homes and local programmes delivered through local government partnerships are all important in tackling fuel poverty in each local area.
	The Warm Front Scheme continues to be the Government's main tool for tackling fuel poverty in the private sector in England. Since 2005 Warm Front has assisted over 2,600 vulnerable Denton and Reddish households, spending approximately 5 million on a range of energy efficiency measures. It also worth noting that Warm Front has carried out nearly 500 benefit entitlement checks in the area, increasing the income of 200 Denton and Reddish constituents by a weekly average of 29.
	The scheme aims to assist many more homes, both in this area and across the country, with the current budget set at 959 million nationally for this spending round (to 2011).

Warm Front Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many complaints have been received by his Department from customers alleging excessive charges for work undertaken under the Warm Front scheme in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: The Department has not previously recorded the total number of complaints in this respect, though procedures have now been put in place to do so.
	Presently, data are only available for April 2009, during which time the Department handled 21 complaints about excess charges. The Department will continue to monitor all complaints received.
	In view of the difficulties that many applicants were facing in funding their excess payments I announced that the Warm Front grant levels would increase from 2,700 and 4,000 (where an oil system is recommended) to 3,500 and 6,000 (where an oil or new low carbon technology is recommended). This will remove the need for the vast majority of households to make a contribution to the cost of work.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contacts between British and Taliban forces there have been in Helmand Province in each of the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: The numbers of troops in contact events (regardless of the instigator) involving the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and insurgents in Helmand province recorded by Task Force Helmand for each complete month from May 2008 to April 2009 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of contacts( 1) 
			 May 2008 60 
			 June 2008 80 
			 July 2008 110 
			 August 2008 200 
			 September 2008 180 
			 October 2008 170 
			 November 2008 200 
			 December 2008 220 
			 January 2009 180 
			 February 2009 180 
			 March 2009 250 
			 April 2009 150 
			 (1) Rounded to 10 
		
	
	ISAF forces operating in Helmand come from a number of different nations, which often operate closely alongside each other and alongside Afghan Army and Police units. The environment in which forces are operating makes it extremely difficult precisely to distinguish between incidents initiated by insurgent forces and those initiated by ISAF.
	These data are based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operational environment. The Ministry of Defence has completed a review of the data required to answer questions such as this, and has revised the manner in which we classify and present data to ensure consistency.

Air Force

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment is of the strategic purpose of the Royal Air Force.

Bill Rammell: As the Nation's specialists in the delivery of Air and Space Power, the strategic purpose of the RAF is to safeguard the UK and its interests through the expert delivery of its core roles of control of the air, mobility and lift, attack, and intelligence and situational awareness.

Aircraft Carriers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the in-service dates are for the two new aircraft carriers.

Quentin Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 17 December 2008,  Official Report, column 766W.

Aircraft Carriers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of upgrading naval bases for the new carriers in each of the next five years.

Quentin Davies: The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers will be base ported at Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth and project costs for tailoring the facilities there have yet to be fully determined. It is departmental policy not to publish such costs until they have been approved in the Main Gate Business Case which we currently expect to be around 2012 for infrastructure modification.
	There are no plans to upgrade facilities at the other naval bases at Devonport or Faslane for the Queen Elizabeth Class.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel are stationed at each location overseas.

Bill Rammell: Figures for the number of service personnel stationed overseas can be found in Table 1.1 of Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 10: UK Regular Forces stationed location. TSP 10 is published quarterly and is available in the Library of the House. The most recent publication shows figures at 1 April 2009 and can be found at the following link.
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/apps/publications/pubViewFile.php?content=1800.1date=2009-05-29type=htmlPublishTime=09:30:00

Armed Forces: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of personnel in each army corps are exceeding their harmony guidelines for  (a) tour intervals and  (b) individual separated service.

Bill Rammell: The information on tour intervals is not held in the format requested.
	The latest available data, as at December 2006, recorded separated service guideline breaches at an average of 10.3 per cent. across the Army. It is hoped that more detailed separated service data will, in future, be provided by the Joint Personnel Administration System.

Armed Forces: Foreigners

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government have received representation from other governments on the employment of their citizens in the UK armed forces since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The Government have not received any representation from other governments on the employment of their citizens in the UK armed forces since 1997.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about armed forces accommodation his Department has received from the families of servicemen and women on operation abroad in each of the last five years; and how many complainants were moved into different accommodation as a result.

Kevan Jones: The Department takes all complaints from service families regarding their accommodation very seriously and has a robust process in place for dealing with them.
	This information is not held in the format requested as it is not possible to separately identify those complaints from the families of personnel on operations abroad and how many of these resulted in families being moved.

Armed Forces: Schools

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many requests for schools presentation team visits from each service his Department has received in each year since 2005.

Kevan Jones: Data regarding requests for visits by Royal Navy and Army school presentation teams are not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Data denoting requests made to the RAF Presentation Team and Inspectorate of Recruiting Youth Outreach Teams are provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Requests 
			 2005-06 137 
			 2006-07 125 
			 2007-08 119 
			 2008-09 139

Armed Forces: Schools

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to expand provision of the Combined Cadet Forces in state schools; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Combined Cadet Force (CCF) expansion will be achieved on a regional basis where resources allow.
	The Ministry of Defence is investigating how we can increase the number of young people who have the opportunity to benefit from the Cadet experience. The Cadet experience is delivered by the four Cadet Forces (the Combined Cadet Force, the Sea Cadet Corps, the Army Cadet Force, and the Air Training Corps). The experience is not just delivered in school-based units, which are mainly CCFs, but also in community based units.
	The Ministry of Defence has identified three principles to take forward the development of sustainable Cadet Forces. These are: the need for a coherent, coordinated and sustainable expansion; working within current resources with investigation into additional sources for further funding and; to attract, retain and equip Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to build the Cadet Forces of the future.
	As part of this work, the Air Cadet Organisation has already announced plans to increase its cadet numbers by 10,000 by 2018.
	The Ministry of Defence is working with Department for Children, Schools and Families, devolved Administrations and others to seek additional funding to further expand cadet activities.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which  (a) universities and  (b) other institutions the Atomic Weapons Establishment has developed strategic alliances.

Quentin Davies: As part of its Corporate Technical Outreach programme, AWE plc has strategic alliances with the following four universities: Heriot-Watt, Cranfield, Cambridge and Imperial College. AWE plc does not have strategic alliances with other institutions.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which  (a) university departments and  (b) other institutions receive research funding from the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Quentin Davies: As part of its Corporate Technical Outreach programme, AWE plc has a number of commercial research contracts with various universities and institutions. These contracts are bound by commercial confidentiality agreements comparable with other commercial arrangements and are between AWE plc and its suppliers, not the Ministry of Defence. I am withholding this information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Atomic Weapons Establishment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Atomic Weapons Establishment's Five Year Strategic Plan.

Quentin Davies: The document in question, entitled AWE Strategic Plan 2008 is an internal AWE plc document. I am therefore unable to place a copy of this document in the Library of the House.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence provides carbon dioxide emissions data for the whole estate and does not differentiate between offices and other buildings.
	The total emissions and emissions per full-time equivalent member of staff are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Tonnes CO 2 
			  Financial year  Total CO 2  emissions  Emissions per full - time equivalent member of staff 
			 2006-07 1,834,645 6.11 
			 2007-08 1,895,879 6.82 
		
	
	The increase in emissions in 2007-08 is explained by the inclusion of the Chief of Joint Operations estate which was not previously taken into account.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport used for administrative operations by his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Kevan Jones: The carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from all business administrative road travel conducted by MOD employees in cars owned or hired by the Department, as reported in the Sustainable Development in Government reports for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Total emissions  Per FTE 
			 2006-07 44,363 0.15 
			 2007-08 43,700 0.157 
		
	
	This does not include emissions from MOD officials using their own car for business purposes. This will be included for the areas of the Department where it is available in the 2009 Sustainable Development in Government report.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel by staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Kevan Jones: The Carbon Dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions from all business administrative air travel conducted by MOD employees for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08, as reported in the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) Reports is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Total emissions (t CO 2 )  Per FTE (t CO 2 ) 
			 2006-07 9,137 0.030 
			 2007-08 38,700 0.139 
		
	
	The increase in figures between years is due to improvements in data coverage.

Departmental Electricity

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the percentage of electricity used by his Department which was derived from renewable sources in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Kevan Jones: The information requested for 2006-07 is published in the Sustainable Development in Government (SDG) Annual Report 2007, which can be found on the Sustainable Development Commission website at the following link:
	www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/sdig_report_2007.pdf
	Information for 2007-08 is published in the SDG Assessment 2008, which can be found at the following link:
	www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/renewable_chp.pdf

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Kevan Jones: The Department's total energy consumption and consumption per full-time equivalent member of staff is provided in the table.
	
		
			  kWh 
			  Financial year  Total energy consumption  Consumption per fu ll- time member of staff 
			 2006-07 6,313,429,656 21,039 
			 2007-08 6,222,357,786 22,410

Departmental Recycling

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) volume and  (b) percentage of waste his Department recycled in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

Kevan Jones: Data on the waste recycled by the Department for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Total weight of waste arising recycled (tonnes)  Percentage of the Department's total waste arisings recycled 
			 2006-07 58,827 37.4 
			 2007-08 94,220 33.9 
		
	
	The Department collects data on the amount of waste arisings recycled by weight (metric tonnes) and not in volume (m(3)) and thus we can only provide a figure for the percentage of waste recycled and not the volume recycled.
	The percentage figure for recycling has fallen slightly between the two years, but this is a reflection of improvements in the quality and coverage of our data rather than a real decline in the amount of waste being recycled.

Departmental Responsibilities

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the responsibilities are of each Minister in his Department.

Bob Ainsworth: The responsibilities of each Defence Minister are published on the MOD website at the following link:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/People/Ministers/

Departmental Waste

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the amount of waste arising from his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Kevan Jones: Data on the Department's waste arisings for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Total waste  arisings (tonnes)  Per FTE( 1)   (tonnes/person) 
			 2006-07 157,229 0.52 
			 2007-08 278,100 1.0 
			 (1) 2006-07 = 300,070) 2007-08 = 277,660 
		
	
	The increase in reported waste arising between 2006-07 and 2007-08 is due to an improvement in the coverage of the reporting of waste arisings across the Department's activities and an improvement in the quality of waste data. Many of our waste streams are not driven by the number of people we employ e.g. equipment waste, and therefore comparisons on a per capita basis may not be helpful.

Departmental Water

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of water consumption on his Department's office estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Kevan Jones: It will take more time to collate and verify the information required to answer the question. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Gurkhas: Pensions

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Gurkhas who were stationed in the UK prior to 1997 receive a pension from the Armed Forces Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Whether or not Gurkhas had been stationed for a period of time in the United Kingdom prior to 1 July 1997 had no bearing on their pension entitlement. Gurkhas who were serving on or after 1 July 1997, when the Brigade became based in the United Kingdom, were given the opportunity to transfer to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, and the majority did so. Gurkhas who left the Army prior to 1 July 1997 were not included in the offer to transfer and remain on the Gurkha Pension Scheme.
	A small number of officers who were commissioned from the Brigade through the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst served in the wider British Army on full British terms and conditions of service. These officers receive a pension from the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

Internal Security Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies into counterinsurgency warfare his Department has conducted since 2003.

Bill Rammell: The Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC) and the Service Warfare Centres have conducted over 20 studies incorporating counterinsurgency since 2003 and a list of the main publications is available on the MOD website found at the following link:
	www.mod.uk/doctrine
	One of the key studies currently being produced by DCDC is Joint Doctrine Publication (JDP) 3-40, 'Doctrine for the Military Contribution to Security and Stabilisation in a Changing World'. The aim of JDP 3-40 is to provide authoritative guidance about the military contribution to the provision of security and stabilisation. This is one of the most comprehensive studies conducted to date and will become a principal guide for conducting joint operations within failing states.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many instances of damage to the axles of each type of armoured vehicles have been recorded by his Department in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each year since 2006.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of replacing assets lost, damaged or prematurely worn out by the conflicts in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each of the next five years.

Quentin Davies: For Iraq, work is ongoing to ascertain the final impairment costs of fighting equipment deployed in Iraq, but our previous estimates of the cost of recuperation of assets lost, damaged or prematurely worn out in operations in Iraq is around 300 million. The figure will remain under review and excludes the costs of replenishing munitions.
	We are not in a position to accurately predict the forward level of recuperation necessary for the ongoing operation in Afghanistan. These will be dependent on a number of factors, including the size and type of the force in theatre and the operational tempo at the time. In Afghanistan recuperation for equipment and assets is carried out through a program of rolling-recuperation, for financial year 2008-09 costs were in the order of 150 million.

Korean War: Anniversaries

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements his Department has made to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War.

Kevan Jones: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 7W.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military and what percentage of each helicopter type in the  (a) Army Air Corps,  (b) Royal Navy and  (c) RAF are (i) in service and (ii) fit for purpose.

Quentin Davies: The numbers and types of helicopters used by the Army Air Corps, Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force which are in service, in the forward fleet and considered fit for purpose are detailed in the following table. In service has been taken to mean the effective fleet which covers all aircraft barring those which are redundant, declared as surplus or awaiting disposal. Aircraft in the forward fleet are those that are available to the front line command for operational and training purposes, including those that are classed as short-term unserviceable: aircraft undergoing scheduled depth maintenance, or planned routine fleet maintenance are excluded. Fit for purpose aircraft are those in the forward fleet considered capable of carrying out their planned missions on a given date.
	The following figures represent averages taken for May 2009.
	
		
			   N umber  of aircraft  P ercentage  N umber  of aircraft  P ercentage 
			  Helicopter Type/Mark  Departmental  f leet  Effective  f leet  In-Service  Forward  f leet  Fit for purpose  Fit for purpose 
			  Royal Navy   
			 Lynx Mk3/Mk8 68 61 90 26 26 100 
			 Sea King Mk5 15 15 100 7 7 100 
			 Sea King Mk7 13 13 100 6 6 100 
			 Sea King Mk4/6 42 42 100 129 16 55 
			 Merlin Mk1 42 42 100 20 14 70 
			
			  Army Air Corps   
			 Augusta 109 4 4 100 2 3 150 
			 Apache 67 67 100 44 16 36 
			 Gazelle 91 42 46 22 20 91 
			 Lynx Mk7/9 108 94 87 53 31 58 
			
			  Royal Air Force   
			 Merlin Mk3/Mk3a 28 28 100 19 11 58 
			 Puma 43 34 79 25 17 68 
			 Chinook Mk2/2a 40 40 100 29 18 62 
			 Sea King Mk3/3a 25 25 100 117 10 59

Military Bases: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the future requirements for Defence Training Estate Magilligan will be announced; and what consultation will be undertaken once an announcement has been made.

Kevan Jones: A study is in progress to determine how best to meet the garrison's future training requirements. It is unlikely that any decision will be taken on specific establishments before 2010. Formal consultation with the trades unions will then follow as appropriate but some informal discussions have already taken place. Depending on the outcome of the review other suitable consultation will be arranged.

Piracy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is Royal Navy policy to disarm but not detain suspected pirates who have not launched any attack.

Bill Rammell: The Royal Navy will always seek to interdict any vessel they suspect as being directly involved in carrying out or planning acts of piracy, however, every incident will differ. The decision on whether or not to detain suspected pirates is the responsibility of the UK Maritime Component Commander, based on legal advice given to him in theatre.
	If it is considered that there is sufficient evidence on which to charge suspected pirates they will be detained and subsequently transferred to a regional state for prosecution. If, after thorough investigation, there is insufficient evidence on which to charge suspected pirates, they will be released. Any piracy equipment, such as ladders and weapons, which are found will be seized.
	The Royal Navy can take robust action to come to the aid of a victim vessel under attack by pirates in international waters. This can range from deterring and disrupting the attack to the use of reasonable force to defend the victims.

RAF Brize Norton

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received on the recent incident at RAF Brize Norton, in which a TriStar Ascot 833 made an emergency landing and was immobilised on the runway, resulting in a Vulcan aircraft being diverted to RAF Lyneham; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: It is not standard practice to inform Ministers of routine technical issues that affect RAF aircraft. In this case the Tristar had a problem with its undercarriage which required it to be towed off the runway. As the runway was occupied the Vulcan could not land immediately and instead chose to land at RAF Lyneham.

RAF Brize Norton

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likelihood of the single runway at RAF Brize Norton being put out of action after the transfer of the fleet from RAF Lyneham; and what contingency arrangements are in place to avoid the immobilisation of the Air Transport fleet in such circumstances.

Bill Rammell: In taking the decision to co-locate the Air Transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling fleets at RAF Brize Norton, it was assessed that these fleets could operate satisfactorily from a single base. In the event of the runway at RAF Brize Norton being unavailable for any reason, aircraft would be diverted to and operate from other RAF bases or, where appropriate, civilian airports.

Territorial Army

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for reservists from 33, 34 and 35 Signal regiments of the Territorial Army to continue their duties after the disbanding of their regiment.

Bill Rammell: The Consultation Document given to the chain of command and the Trades Unions on 1 June states that:
	Territorial Army [TA] personnel from a unit/sub-unit that are not to be absorbed into the new order of battle are to be regarded as surplus to establishment and are to be subject to the following provisos:
	(a) TA volunteers will not be surplus to the overall TA manning liability and every effort will be made to find alternative employment and arrange for voluntary transfers.
	(b) Where candidates for transfer exceed demand, open competition will be conducted by a review board with some limited opportunities for overbearing.
	(c) Candidates who are not selected for transfer or for whom there is no suitable alternative employment, are to be offered the opportunity to transfer to the 'Un-posted List'.
	No final decisions have been taken on which individual units will be affected by the changes. However, we are committed to supporting all our personnel through this restructuring, which is to be completed by 31 March 2010.

Trident

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place before Parliament proposals for Initial Gate approval for the programme to replace the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system.

Bob Ainsworth: It is not normal for Parliament to be involved in Initial Gate decisions for procurement projects. I do however propose to update Parliament on progress after Initial Gate. The main investment decision point, and the point at which we would issue the main contracts to industry for the construction of the new submarines, is still several years away.

Warships

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many months and what percentage time each Royal Navy  (a) attack submarine,  (b) destroyer and  (c) aircraft carrier in service spent (i) on operations and (ii) in maintenance in each year since 2006.

Bill Rammell: The following figures are approximate because records held centrally do not always distinguish precisely between routine maintenance and other time spent alongside, since the two activities are often intermixed.
	
		
			  Attack submarines 
			   2006  2007  2008 
			   Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage 
			  Vessel  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN 
			 Superb 4 6 30 47 1 8 10 64 2 5 17 21 
			 Sceptre 1 7 6 60 7 2 55 13 1 10 5 73 
			 Trafalgar 6 5 45 42 0 10 0 81 7 2 52 11 
			 Turbulent 5 3 42 24 2 7 12 57 0 10 0 73 
			 Tireless 2 6 14 45 5 4 41 29 3 8 25 64 
			 Torbay 7 2 60 13 0 11 0 92 3 4 21 35 
			 Trenchant 0 12 0 100 5 3 39 26 7 2 50 14 
			 Talent 0 10 0 78 5 3 39 22 7 2 52 14 
			 Triumph 0 12 0 100 0 12 0 100 0 12 0 100 
		
	
	
		
			  Destroyers 
			   2006  2007  2008 
			   Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage 
			  Vessel  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN 
			 Edinburgh 7 2 58 17 6 3 50 25 8 2 67 17 
			 Gloucester 6 2 50 17 1 9 8 75 6 2 50 17 
			 Manchester 0 7 0 58 7 4 58 33 8 1 67 8 
			 York 8 3 67 25 4 2 33 17 0 12 0 100 
			 Liverpool 7 3 58 25 1 7 8 58 9 1 75 8 
			 Exeter 4 3 33 25 4 1 33 8 4 1 33 8 
			 Nottingham 8 3 67 25 5 4 42 33 4 0 33 0 
			 Southampton 7 3 58 25 7 2 58 17 2 2 17 17 
		
	
	
		
			  Aircraft carriers 
			   2006  2007  2008 
			   Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage  Months  Percentage 
			  Vessel  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN  OP  MAIN 
			 Illustrious 5 5 37 15 5 3 42 25 6 4 50 33 
			 Ark Royal 0 9 0 66 3 1 25 8 7 4 58 33 
		
	
	HMS Invincible is at low readiness.
	Time not accounted for under operations and maintenance include periods of basic sea training, post refit trials, periods of extended leave and other duties such as conducting ammunitioning and storing whilst in port.

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships are planned to carry a full anti-submarine warfare capability in  (a) five and  (b) 10 years' time; and which ships carry such a capability at present.

Quentin Davies: Most Royal Navy warships possess an anti-submarine capability, which will often be enhanced with an embarked helicopter. In addition, eight of the Type 23 frigates currently in service are equipped to provide a specialist anti-submarine warfare capability and they will continue to do so until replaced by the Future Surface Combatant (FSC). The precise dates of the progressive replacement of Type 23s by the FSC have not yet been determined.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Detainees

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department was first notified by the Governor of Bermuda of the Bermudan Government's discussions with the US on the transfer of four former detainees from Guantnamo Bay; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office received notification from the Governor of Bermuda on 11 June 2009 that the Government of Bermuda had been in discussion with the US on the transfer of four former detainees from Guantanamo Bay. The Government of Bermuda acted outside their competence.

Afghanistan: Detainees

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government of Bermuda notified his Department that it had agreed to accept the transfer of four former detainees from Guantnamo Bay before the former detainees arrived in Bermuda on 12 June 2009; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The four former detainees arrived in Bermuda early on 11 June 2009. The Government of Bermuda notified the Governor a few hours earlier that some Muslim Uighur refugees were on their way, without mention of the United States or Guantanamo Bay.

Afghanistan: Detainees

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the security assessment of the four former detainees from Guantnamo Bay who have been transferred to Bermuda is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are working with the Government of Bermuda and the US to ensure that the security assessment will be completed as soon as possible.

Afghanistan: Detainees

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the Government of Bermuda began discussions with the US administration on the transfer of detainees from Guantnamo Bay to Bermuda.

David Miliband: The Government of Bermuda began discussions with the US Administration on or about 20 May 2009.

Afghanistan: Detainees

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the review of the legal basis of the Government's relations with Bermuda following the transfer of four former detainees from Guantnamo Bay is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We are not reviewing the Bermuda constitution, but in light of the of this case we are reviewing the operation of the General Entrustment which is the agreement that delegates to the Government of Bermuda the authority to conduct external negotiations in specified areas. We expect to complete this by the end of July 2009.

Afghanistan: Detainees

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Bermudan authorities on the four people released from the US detention centre at Guantnamo and resettled in Bermuda; and what steps he plans to take on the matter.

Chris Bryant: Discussions are ongoing between the Governor, the Government of Bermuda and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office over the transfer of four former detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Bermuda. We are considering next steps with all interested parties.

Afghanistan: Detainees

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he had discussions with his US counterpart on the recent transfer of four detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Bermuda before the transfer took place.

Ivan Lewis: There were no discussions between my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and his US counterpart on the transfer of four detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Bermuda before the transfer took place.

Departmental Press

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) newspapers and  (b) periodicals are delivered to the private office of each Minister in his Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Bryant: The following information is for the month of May 2009, the latest period for which figures are available, and relates to the ministerial team in place at the time.
	The Foreign Secretary's private office received the following papers and periodicals Monday to Friday, or when published, at a cost of 589:
	 Daily Mail x 3
	 Daily Mirror x 3
	 Daily Telegraph x 4
	 Financial Times x 3
	 Guardian x 4
	 Independent x 3
	 International Herald Tribune x 2
	 Le Monde x 1
	 The Sun x 4
	 The Times x 4
	 Evening Standard (1st Edition) x 3
	 Evening Standard (West End Final) x 3
	 The Economist
	 New Statesman
	 Spectator
	 Private Eye .
	Lord Malloch-Brown's private office received one copy of each of the following papers and periodicals Monday to Friday, or when published, at a cost of 198.90:
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 International Herald Tribune
	 The Sun
	 Times
	 Economist x 2
	 New Statesman
	 Private Eye
	 Spectator .
	Bill Rammell MP's private office received one copy of each of the following papers Monday to Thursday at a cost of 105.00:
	 Financial Times
	 The Times
	 The Independent
	 The Telegraph
	 The Sun
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Mail .
	Caroline Flint MP's private office received the following papers and periodicals Monday to Friday, or when published, at a cost of 326.70:
	 Financial Times x 2
	 The Daily Telegraph x 2
	 The Times x 2
	 The Independent x 2
	 Daily Mail x 2
	 Daily Express x 2
	 Daily Mirror x 2
	 The Sun x 2
	 The Guardian x 2
	 Evening Standard (1st Edition) x 2
	 Evening Standard (West End Final) x 2
	 Economist
	 New Statesman .
	Gillian Merron MP's private office received one copy of each of the following papers Monday to Thursday, at a cost of 46.08:
	 Daily Mirror
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian .
	Lord Davies's private office received one copy of each of the following papers and periodicals Monday to Friday, or when published, at a cost of 100.70:
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Guardian
	 Times
	 Economist
	 New Statesman
	 Spectator
	 The Week
	 Fortune
	 Private Eye .
	Costs for Lord Davies's private office were met by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training courses have been attended by special advisers in his Department in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Chris Bryant: One special adviser attended the Home Security course which is standard upon entry to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), at no additional cost to the FCO. No other courses have been attended by special advisers in the last 12 months.

EU Institutions

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on  (a) democratic accountability of European institutions and  (b) financial efficiency of European institutions in the last two years.

Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular contact with his EU counterparts on a variety of issues.
	The Lisbon treaty will improve the democratic accountability of the EU Institutions by giving national Parliaments a direct say in EU law making for the first time.
	In the context of annual Budget negotiations and the discharge process it is the Government's priority to bear down on administration costs and promote sound financial management in EU institutions.

European Union

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was levied in fines against the UK by EU institutions in 2008.

Chris Bryant: The UK has never been subject to infraction proceedings by the European Commission, and no fines were levied against the UK in 2008.

Iran: British Nationality

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safety of UK citizens in Iran.

Ivan Lewis: Our embassies and high commissions use a number of channels to communicate information to British nationals. These include travel advice, wardens networks, LOCATEan online registering facility, the internet and local media.
	All of our embassies and high commissions are required to hold a post emergency plan and, where deemed necessary, a civil contingency plan. Our embassy in Tehran holds both. These plans are designed to help our diplomatic missions respond to any crisis they may face, including dealing with consular emergencies, civil unrest or in some cases assisting the departure of British Nationals from a country. All plans are reviewed regularly and tested at least annually and more often if the circumstances in country warrant it. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Consular Crisis Group oversees the review process of these plans.

Languages: EU Action

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what timetable he has set for publication of the United Kingdom's Fourth Periodical Report on the implementation of policies under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Chris Bryant: The UK's Fourth Periodical Report is due to be submitted to the Council of Europe for publication in May 2012.

Languages: EU Action

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar on 12 November 2007,  Official Report, column 37W, on European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, for what reason the UK's third periodical report on the implementation of policies under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages was not published on 1 July 2008.

Chris Bryant: The submission of the UK's Third Report on the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages was delayed as the Northern Ireland Executive was not in a position to issue its input in relation to matters that had been devolved to the Executive.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the treatment in Sri Lanka of Tamils visiting Sri Lanka from the UK; what steps he is taking in response to such reports; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We are aware of two British nationals in the camps for internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the issue with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 5 June 2009. The Foreign Secretary was assured that the Government of Sri Lanka was addressing the issue. We very much hope they will be able to return to their families in the UK as soon as possible.

USA and Canada: Diplomatic Service

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many consular staff his Department employs in its diplomatic posts in  (a) Washington DC and  (b) Ottawa.

Chris Bryant: The number of full-time equivalent staff carrying out consular activities in Washington is 33.6 and Ottawa is 1.5.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Michael Foster: The weather-corrected carbon dioxide emissions from the Department for International Development's (DFID) UK estate, as reported to the Sustainable Development Commission, for the years in question are:
	
		
			   Carbon dioxide (tonnes)  Per full-time equivalent member of staff 
			 2006-07 4,632 2.7 
			 2007-08 4,387 2.5

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel by staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Michael Foster: The carbon dioxide emissions as reported to the Sustainable Development Commission are set out in the following table. The figures include travel arranged by overseas offices, and United Kingdom- based and local staff in these offices.
	
		
			   Carbon dioxide (tonnes)  Per full-time equivalent member of staff 
			 2006-07 17,874 6.9 
			 2007-08 18,094 7.1

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much  (a) electricity and  (b) gas was used (i) on his Department's estate and (ii) by his Department's agencies in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Michael Foster: The following is the weather-corrected total amount of gas and electricity used on the Department for International Development UK estate from 2004 to 2009, as reported to the Sustainable Development Commission. We have no Executive agencies.
	
		
			  kWh 
			   Electricity  Gas 
			 2004-05 6,491,979 4,857,635 
			 2005-06 7,099,472 4,750,842 
			 2006-07 7,035,022 5,121,072 
			 2007-08 6,642,910 4,936,358 
			 2008-09 6,093,814 4,067,082 
			 Total 33,363,197 23,722,989

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans he has for future energy efficiency measures.

Michael Foster: Precise figures are not available for energy efficiency measures and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost. We would estimate that our expenditure in the last two years, and this year to date, were as follows:
	
		
			
			 2007 3,000 
			 2008 167,000 
			 2009 (to date) 60,000 
		
	
	Pre assessments of expenditure gains (payback periods) and energy savings are estimated before the energy saving initiative has been approved and implemented. Such energy saving initiatives contribute to the Department for International Developments (DFID's) progress towards meeting the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) targets. In 2008-09 we achieved a 12 per cent. reduction in our energy used and savings of 72,000 in energy costs compared with 2007-08.
	DFID is continuing to look for ways to achieve further energy savings and are currently evaluating the possibility of a Tri-Generation system, the installation of variable speed devices for Air Conditioning and installing a Biomass boiler and Wind Turbine at our office in East Kilbride.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Michael Foster: The head of office services department manages the Department for International Development's environment management team and leads on the energy efficiency agenda.

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1879W, on the departmental internet, how many  (a) unique visitors and  (b) page impressions were received by the (i) Research and Development and (ii) Developments website in each of the last 12 months.

Michael Foster: During the period June 2008 to May 2009, the Research4Development website received the following hits:
	
		
			   Unique visitors  Page views 
			  2008   
			 June 20,438 224,161 
			 July 27,453 268,410 
			 August 20,576 423,137 
			 September 21,831 200,907 
			 October 20,586 160,843 
			 November 26,765 198,895 
			 December 19,895 214,005 
			  2009   
			 January 24,635 225,110 
			 February 26,608 248,223 
			 March 31,051 240,409 
			 April 31,577 516,029 
			 May 34,978 590,852 
			 Total 306,393 3,510,981 
		
	
	During the same period Developments website received the following hits:
	
		
			   Unique visitors  Page views 
			  2008   
			 June 6,807 18,535 
			 July 6,650 27,959 
			 August 5,300 19,678 
			 September 7,475 21,447 
			 October 10,178 31,224 
			 November 9,327 25,358 
			 December 6,774 17,014 
			  2009   
			 January 9,257 23,393 
			 February 9,587 23,841 
			 March 10,810 26,669 
			 April 9,203 20,998 
			 May 9,412 22,468 
			 Total 100,780 278,584

Departmental Location

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on relocation costs for new members of staff in each of the last three years.

Michael Foster: The requested information could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

Western Sahara: Overseas Aid

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what development assistance his Department is providing for Sahrawi refugees and internally displaced people in Western Sahara; and whether such assistance is channelled through the Government of  (a) Morocco and  (b) Algeria.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports Sahrawi refugees through its 17 per cent. share of the budget of the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and its 19 million core contributions to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for its work with refugees across the world. In 2008, ECHO committed to provide 10 million to support Sahrawi refugees, while UNHCR spent $3.1 million in their support.
	DFID does not provide any bilateral aid to the Government of Morocco or Algeria.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Building Regulations: Energy

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will undertake research into levels of compliance with building regulations relating to energy efficiency.

Ian Austin: The Department has ongoing plans to undertake research into levels of compliance with building regulations relating to energy efficiency. We recently completed a joint project with the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes (EEPfH) looking at compliance levels for new homes built to 2006 Part L standards. The report has been published at the EEPfH website at:
	www.eeph.org.uk
	We have also studied compliance levels for non-domestic buildings and for work to existing buildings. A consultation document published on 18 June outlines our proposals to strengthen Part L standards by 25 per cent. in 2010 including measures to further improve compliance and a strategy for further research. The document can be viewed at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/consultations

Council Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 20W, on housing, in which local authorities the schemes are being operated.

Ian Austin: As at April 2009 Choice Based Lettings housing allocations schemes were being operated in the following local authorities in England:
	Adur
	Amber Valley
	Arun
	Ashford
	Barking and Dagenham
	Barnet
	Barnsley
	Basildon
	Bassetlaw
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Birmingham
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Blackpool
	Bolton
	Boston
	Bournemouth
	Bradford
	Braintree
	Brent
	Brentwood
	Brighton and Hove
	Bristol
	Broadland
	Bromley
	Bromsgrove
	Broxbourne
	Bury
	Calderdale
	Cambridge
	Camden
	Canterbury
	Carlisle
	Chelmsford
	Cherwell
	Cheshire West and Chester
	Chesterfield
	Chichester
	City of London
	Colchester
	Cornwall
	Cotswold
	Coventry
	Crawley
	Croydon
	Dacorum
	Dartford
	Derby
	Derbyshire Dales
	Doncaster
	Dover
	Dudley
	Durham
	Ealing
	East Cambridgeshire
	East Devon
	East Dorset
	East Hampshire
	East Hertfordshire
	East Northamptonshire
	East Staffordshire
	Eastbourne
	Eastleigh
	Enfield
	Epping Forest
	Epsom and Ewell
	Erewash
	Exeter
	Fareham
	Fenland
	Forest Heath
	Fylde
	Gateshead
	Gosport
	Gravesham
	Great Yarmouth
	Greenwich
	Guildford
	Hackney
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Harborough
	Haringey
	Harlow
	Harrow
	Hart
	Hastings
	Havant
	Havering
	Herefordshire, County of
	Hertsmere
	High Peak
	Hillingdon
	Hounslow
	Huntingdonshire
	Islington
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Kettering
	King's Lynn and West Norfolk
	Kingston upon Hull, City of
	Kingston upon Thames
	Lambeth
	Leeds
	Lewes
	Lewisham
	Lichfield
	Lincoln
	Liverpool
	Maidstone
	Malvern Hills
	Manchester
	Mansfield
	Medway
	Mendip
	Merton
	Mid Devon
	Middlesbrough
	Mole Valley
	New Forest
	Newark and Sherwood
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Newham
	North East Derbyshire
	North Somerset
	Northampton
	Northumberland
	Norwich
	Nottingham
	Oldham
	Oxford
	Peterborough
	Plymouth
	Poole
	Preston
	Purbeck
	Reading
	Redbridge
	Redditch
	Reigate and Banstead
	Rochdale
	Rother
	Rotherham
	Rushmoor
	Salford
	Sandwell
	Sedgemoor
	Sefton
	Sevenoaks
	Sheffield
	Shepway
	Shropshire
	Solihull
	South Cambridgeshire
	South Derbyshire
	South Gloucestershire
	South Norfolk
	South Oxfordshire
	South Ribble
	South Somerset
	South Staffordshire
	South Tyneside
	Southampton
	Southend-on-Sea
	Southwark
	St. Edmundsbury
	St. Helens
	Stevenage
	Stockport
	Stoke-on-Trent
	Stratford-on-Avon
	Sunderland
	Surrey Heath
	Sutton
	Swale
	Swindon
	Tameside
	Tandridge
	Taunton Deane
	Telford and Wrekin
	Test Valley
	Thanet
	Three Rivers
	Thurrock
	Tonbridge and Malling
	Torbay
	Tower Hamlets
	Trafford
	Tunbridge Wells
	Uttlesford
	Vale of White Horse
	Wakefield
	Walsall
	Waltham Forest
	Warrington
	Warwick
	Waveney
	Waverley
	Wealden
	West Berkshire
	West Devon
	West Somerset
	Westminster
	Weymouth and Portland
	Wigan
	Wiltshire
	Winchester
	Wirral
	Woking
	Worcester
	Wychavon
	Wyre
	Wyre Forest
	York

Council Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 383W, on council housing 
	(1)  which organisations undertook the external research; on what subjects; and how much was paid to each such organisation;
	(2)  on what dates the external research for the review of council housing finance was commissioned.

Ian Austin: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Research  Date commissioned  Researcher  Cost  ()  Purpose of research 
			 Evaluation of Management and Maintenance costs 2 July 2008 Housing Quality Network 44,330 To determine the costs of running the day to day landlord service (including redistribution analysis and housemark data provision) 
			 Review of the Major Repairs Allowance 1 September 2008 Building Research Establishment 50,835 Analysis of the need to spend on major repairs of the housing stock in order to maintain the Decent Homes standard 
			 Tenant Focus Groups 9 September 2008 GFK-NOP 28,898 Analysis of tenant attitudes towards council housing finance and rents policy 
			 Rents Analysis 2 October 2008 Professor Steve Wilcox, University of York 18,500 A set of briefings and analysis on rents and related topics to inform the HRA review 
			 Processing of Tenant Questionnaires 28 October 2008 Sharp Research 8,550  
			 Debt Analysis 19 November 2008 Tribal 16,400 Analysis of the options for dealing with debt in local authority housing. 
		
	
	Other research expense included ongoing advice from the CLG expert panel and use of the Housing Corporation residents panels through the second half of 2008 totalling around 30,000.

Council Housing: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authority tenants in Castle Point have been evicted from accommodation for non-payment of rent in each of the last 12 months; and what proportion of those tenants had dependants living with them.

Ian Austin: This information is not currently available.

Council Housing: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 383W, on council housing 
	(1)  what the civil service pay band of each member of the Review of Council Housing Finance team is;
	(2)  how much has been spent on the Review of Council Housing Finance on  (a) salaries,  (b) bonuses and  (c) expenses for (i) civil servants and (ii) local authority secondees;
	(3)  which local authority provided a secondee to the review; and what the terms of the secondment are;
	(4)  what costs related to the Review of Council Housing Finance have been incurred in each of the last three months;
	(5)  if he will provide a breakdown of the 186,000 spent by the Review of Council Housing Finance on activity other than external research.

Ian Austin: The pay bands for civil servants from my Department working on the Review are Grade 5 (Deputy Director), Grade 6, Grade 7, Senior Executive Officer (SEO), Higher Executive Officer (HEO) and Executive Officer. The civil servants from HM Treasury are Range E (which is equivalent to Grades 6 and 7) and Range D (which is equivalent to SEO and HEO). All civil servants are employed and remunerated on standard departmental terms and conditions.
	The local authority secondee is on secondment from Sheffield city council. The council is continuing to pay his wages and expenses, which are reimbursed by my Department in respect of time spent working on the review. The secondment is on standard departmental terms and conditions.
	The 186,000 that was spent on other activity includes the reimbursement of the secondee's wages and expenses to Sheffield city council. It cannot be broken down without identifying these payments, which would breach data protection principles in respect of the secondee.
	The answer of 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 383W, included details of review expenditure to the end of March 2009. Details of costs incurred by the review since then cannot be provided without breaching data protection principles in respect of the secondee from Sheffield city council.

Council Housing: Rents

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 71-72WS, on local authority rents, which local authorities have applied for financial support for reduced rent increases for council tenants; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: The authorities which have applied for and accepted additional subsidy support to reduce rent increases are listed as follows:
	Adur
	Arun
	Ashfield
	Ashford
	Babergh
	Barking
	Barnet
	Barnsley
	Barrow
	Basildon
	Bassetlaw
	Birmingham
	Blaby
	Blackpool
	Bolsover
	Bolton
	Bournemouth
	Bracknell
	Braintree
	Brent
	Brentwood
	Brighton and Hove
	Bristol
	Broxtowe
	Bury
	Cambridge
	Camden
	Cannock Chase
	Canterbury
	Castle Point
	Central Bedfordshire
	Charnwood
	Cheltenham
	Cheshire West and Chester
	Chesterfield
	City of London
	City of York
	Colchester
	Corby
	Cornwall
	Crawley
	Croydon
	Dacorum
	Darlington
	Dartford
	Daventry
	Derby
	Doncaster
	Dover
	Dudley
	Durham
	Ealing
	East Devon
	East Riding
	Eastbourne
	Enfield
	Epping Forest
	Exeter
	Fareham
	Fenland
	Gateshead
	Gedling
	Gloucester
	Gosport
	Gravesham
	Great Yarmouth
	Greenwich
	Guildford
	Hackney
	Hammersmith
	Harborough
	Haringey
	Harrogate
	Harrow
	Havering
	High Peak
	Hillingdon
	Hinckley
	Hounslow
	Ipswich
	Isles of Scilly
	Islington
	Kensington
	Kettering
	Kingston upon Hull
	Kingston upon Thames
	Kirklees
	Lambeth
	Lancaster
	Leeds
	Leicester
	Lewes
	Lewisham
	Lincoln
	Liverpool
	Luton
	Manchester
	Mansfield
	Medway Towns
	Melton
	Merton
	Mid Devon
	Mid Suffolk
	Milton Keynes
	Mole Valley
	NE Derbyshire
	New Forest
	Newark
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Newham
	North Kesteven
	North Tyneside
	North Warwick
	Northampton
	Northumberland
	Norwich
	Nottingham
	Nuneaton
	NW Leicester
	Oadby and Wigston
	Oldham
	Oxford City
	Plymouth
	Poole
	Portsmouth
	Reading
	Redbridge
	Redditch
	Ribble Valley
	Richmondshire
	Rochdale
	Rochford
	Rotherham
	Rugby
	Runnymede
	Rutland
	Salford
	Sandwell
	Sedgemoor
	Selby
	Sheffield
	Shepway
	Shropshire
	Slough
	Solihull
	South Cambridge
	South Derby
	South Holland
	South Kesteven
	South Lakeland
	South Norfolk
	South Northants
	South Tyneside
	Southampton
	Southend-on-Sea
	Southwark
	St. Albans
	Stevenage
	Stockport
	Stockton
	Stoke-on-Trent
	Stroud
	Sutton
	Swindon
	Tamworth
	Tandridge
	Taunton Deane
	Tendring
	Thanet
	Three Rivers
	Thurrock
	Torridge
	Tower Hamlets
	Uttlesford
	Waltham Forest
	Wandsworth
	Warrington
	Warwick
	Waveney
	Waverley
	Wealden
	Wellingborough
	Welwyn Hatfield
	West Lancashire
	Westminster
	Wigan
	Wiltshire
	Winchester
	Woking
	Wokingham
	Wolverhampton
	Wycombe

Derelict Land

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2009,  Official Report, column 453W, on derelict land, how many  (a) registered social landlords (RSLs) and  (b) local authorities operated land banks in May 2009; what the estimated monetary value of such land held by (i) RSLs and (ii) local authorities was as at 31 May 2009; and in respect of how many such assets is development expected to commence in the next six months.

Ian Austin: holding answer 22 June 2009
	The Tenant Services Authority (TSA), the independent regulator of the Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sector, does not monitor all RSL land banks on a comprehensive basis. The TSA does not register land banks held by RSLs. However, they do collect information on such holdings of undeveloped land for the larger developing RSLs.
	The TSA has been monitoring this type of activity, on a quarterly basis, since January 2009.
	Their latest figures, from April 2009, show that 100 associations have land yet to be developed with an overall value of 1.2 billion. They do not hold information on the amount of this land that is expected to be developed in the next six months.
	With regard to local authority land, this Department does not hold this information centrally. However, we are working with the Homes and Communities Agency to develop a robust system of data collection so that we can identify and record what housing development is taking place on public sector sites. The Homes and Communities Agency is seeking the help of local authorities in establishing this database.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how much and what proportion of disabled facilities grant funding has been spent on alternative accommodation during building work in each year since the scheme was introduced; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the average length of time between receipt of an application for a disabled facilities grant and the completion of the home improvements funded by the grant was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: The information requested is not held centrally, day to day management of the disabled facilities grant programme is the responsibility of local authorities. Collection of the information requested is therefore a local matter.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the  (a) implementation and  (b) management of the home improvements disabled facilities grant scheme since its introduction.

Ian Austin: The introduction of the disabled facilities grant has enabled many disabled people to continue to live independently in their own homes through the provision of adaptations. The programme helps about 38,000 households a year with a variety of adaptations to ease mobility in their homes. An independent review of the programme was carried out in 2004 and a consultation to modernise the programme followed in 2007. The Government announced their response to the consultation early in 2008-09 with a package of changes to improve the programme. This can be viewed on the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/modernisationchangespackage

Disabled Facilities Grants

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the operation of the disabled facilities grant scheme for the purposes of assessing  (a) the effects on the operation of the scheme of changes in mechanisms for ring-fenced funding of the scheme and  (b) progress towards the target of completing (i) the assessment by an occupational therapist required under the scheme within six months and (ii) adaptation work undertaken under that scheme within 12 months.

Ian Austin: Following a review of the disabled facilities grant scheme published in 2007 a number of changes were implemented to the programme. Data collected from local authorities will give an indication as to the effect of the wider changes made to the programme such as the relaxation of the grant conditions. The effect of the removal of the grant ring fence is currently being piloted in nine local authorities; a full evaluation of the impact of the removal of the ring fence will be carried out before any decision is taken on removing the ring fence nationally.
	Further work is currently being carried out to improve the delivery of the programme with an overhaul of the means test and application form. Data on the time it takes an authority to deliver a disabled facilities grant are not collected centrally as circumstances will vary from case to case.

Flood Control

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which agency is responsible for ensuring that the sequential test for flood risk zones outlined in Planning Policy Statement 25 is undertaken.

Ian Austin: The sequential test set out in Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25), Development and Flood Risk, is a decision-making tool which aims to steer new development to areas at the lowest probability of flooding. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to apply the sequential test when allocating land for development in development plan documents. The local planning authority is also responsible for applying the sequential test to applications made to them for development on land which has not been allocated, or which has not been sequentially tested, in a development plan document. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the evidence for their application to allow the planning authority to carry out the sequential test.

Housing: Regeneration

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Housing Market Renewal funding has been awarded to organisations operating in Copeland.

Ian Austin: Financial information regarding HMR funding is not collected centrally for local authority areas. However, Copeland DC is a partner authority of the West Cumbria Area of Wider Low Demand which was awarded 1.8 million of HMR funding for 2009-10.

Housing: Rural Areas

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that sufficient housing is built in rural areas.

Ian Austin: In 2006 we published Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3), which requires local authorities and regions to take a positive and active approach to setting housing provision figures for local planning authorities and housing market areas, and adopting targets for the delivery of affordable housing. PPS3 also confirms that local authorities in rural areas can use the Rural Exception Site policy to deliver solely affordable housing on sites which would not normally be used for housing, and for that housing to be kept as affordable in perpetuity.
	In September 2007 the Prime Minister asked Matthew Taylor to conduct a review of the rural economy and affordable housing. Matthew's report ('Living Working Countryside') was published in July 2008. This included a number of recommendations on the delivery of rural housing. The Government published their response on 25 March 2009, broadly accepting almost all of the recommendations. We are now implementing those recommendations.
	As part of our current 8.4 billion investment from 2008-11 for affordable housing, we have set the Homes and Communities Agency a target of the completion of 10,300 homes in smaller rural communities of under 3,000 people. This represents a real step up in comparison with previous delivery. To date there are forecast completions of over 6,600 units for this period. However, given current conditions, it is too early to predict outputs with certainty over this time period.

Housing: Standards

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on the decent homes scheme in each year since 1997.

Ian Austin: The decent homes programme was launched in 2001. The figures in the table represent the estimated expenditure maintaining the condition of social housing stock, including the decent homes standard, since 1997 from statistical returns submitted by local authorities and registered social landlords.
	
		
			   billion 
			   Total investment  LA  RSL 
			 1997-98 1.97 1.56 0.41 
			 1998-99 2.18 1.66 0.52 
			 1999-2000 1.86 1.57 0.29 
			 2000-01 2.19 1.81 0.38 
			 2001-02 2.66 2.12 0.54 
			 2002-03 3.08 2.35 0.73 
			 2003-04 3.31 2.64 0.67 
			 2004-05 3.69 3.18 0.51 
			 2005-06 4.10 3.38 0.72 
			 2006-07 4.19 3.31 0.88 
			 2007-08 4.15 3.21 0.94 
			 Total 33.38 26.79 6.59

Housing: Waiting Lists

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were on a local authority housing waiting list in Milton Keynes on the latest date for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 17W.

Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department has provided to the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government in each of the last three years; and how much has been allocated for each of the next two years.

Rosie Winterton: The Improvement and Development Agency receives Revenue Support Grant (RSG) funding from my Department to provide core services for local government improvement. Additionally we give additional money for specific projects. During the period 2006-11 has/will receive the following amounts:
	
		
			  Improvement and Development Agency funding allocated 
			
			 2010-11 (1) 
			 2009-10 32,670,000 
			 2008-09 28,730,000 
			 2007-08 30,688,000 
			 2006-07 36,924,000 
			 (1) Still subject to consultation and will be announced later this year.

Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government in spreading best practice amongst local authority housing professionals.

Rosie Winterton: The Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA) works for local government so councils can serve people and places better mainly focusing on partnership working, place shaping and tackling cross cutting issues. The IDeA produces annual reports which highlight their work with councils including local authority housing professionals which can be found at:
	http://www.idea.gov.uk

LLM Communications

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 12 March 2009,  Official Report, column 744W, on LLM Communications, 
	(1)  how the contract for the work undertaken by LLM Communications was  (a) tendered and  (b) procured;
	(2)  what the  (a) title,  (b) location and  (c) branding of each regional housing debate was; and what consideration was given to undertaking this work in-house;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference given to LLM Communications by his Department.

Ian Austin: The Department for Communities and Local Government provided financial support to the Campaign for More and Better Homes which was a pre-existing cross-sector housing alliance. Campaign for More and Better Homes commissioned LLM Communications as their PR agency to deliver regional housing debates to help raise public awareness of the need for and benefits of housing growth.

Local Government: Urban Areas

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if he will take steps to seek the views of those living in the most deprived areas when examining the merits of formal city regional governance in conurbations outside London;
	(2)  whether he plans to propose the introduction of formal city regional governance in conurbations outside London.

Rosie Winterton: Part 6 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, which is currently being considered by the House, provides the legislative basis for economic prosperity boards and combined authorities. These bodies will provide a means for local authorities to pool functions and manage joint activity on economic development and regeneration as well as, in the case of combined authorities, transport issues. They will be entirely voluntary for local authorities and each council will have to give its express consent before it becomes part of one of these bodies.
	Local authorities that are considering setting up an economic prosperity board or combined authority will be expected to consult widely when drawing up their scheme for submission to the Secretary of State.

Multiple Occupation

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to make a decision on whether a change in the Use Classes Order to recognise houses in multiple occupation is required; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which local planning policies would need to change in the event of such recognition.

Ian Austin: The Department is currently consulting on houses in multiple occupation and possible planning responses. The consultation period closes on 7 August, we will then consider the responses and determine a way forward.
	It would be for local planning authorities to determine what changes are needed in their local planning policies in the event of a change to the Use Classes Order.

Planning Permission

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 141W, on planning permission, what the agreed completion date is of the core strategy of each local planning authority.

Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Wright) to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 14 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1006W, on this issue in relation to local development frameworks.

Planning Permission: Wildlife

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to the construction industry of compliance with conditions attached to planning permissions in respect of  (a) great crested newts and  (b) bats in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: No estimate has been made of the cost to the construction industry of compliance with conditions attached to planning permissions in respect of great crested newts or bats.

Planning: Retail Trade

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the effects on high street retailers of his Department's planning policies in respect of out of town  (a) retailing and  (b) warehousing.

Ian Austin: The headline indicator of the success of our planning policies has been the proportion of new retail floor space developed within and on the edge of town centres. CLG planning statistics published in November 2008 show that our town centre policies have shown real signs of success. In 1994 only a quarter of new retail floor space was developed within or on the edge of our town centres. By 2006 this proportion increased to 42 per cent.
	It is evident from these data that our town centre policies have halted and partially reversed a long-term trend towards retail development outside town centres.

Planning: Urban Areas

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on town centre development in the last five years.

Ian Austin: In the last five years, we and our predecessor Department (The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) have published the following national planning policy and guidance on town centre development:
	Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6): Planning for Town Centres (published 21 March 2005)
	Planning for Town CentresGuidance on Design and Implementation Tools (published 21 March 2005)
	Looking After Our Town Centres (published 14 April 2009).
	On 5 May 2009 we published a consultation draft Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4): Planning for Prosperous Economies. This new PPS incorporates draft PPS 4: Planning for Sustainable Economic Development; PPG 5: Simplified Planning Zones; PPS 6: Planning for Town Centres; and the economic development policies in PPS 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas. The consultation documentation for the draft PPS and further details about how to respond are available on the Department's website at:
	http://wwwcommunities.gov.uk/publications/planning andbuilding/consultationeconomicpps
	The consultation period ends on 28 July 2009.

Private Rented Housing: Standards

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to ensure that privately rented housing meets the decent homes standard.

Ian Austin: The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a risk-based evaluation tool to help local authorities identify and protect against potential risks and hazards to health and safety from any deficiencies identified in dwellings. It was introduced under the Housing Act 2004 and came into effect on 6 April 2006. It applies to residential properties in England.
	The HHSRS assesses 29 categories of housing hazard, each hazard has a weighting which will help determine whether the property is rated as having Category 1 (serious) or Category 2 (other) hazards. For the purposes of the decent homes standard, homes posing a category 1 risk are non-decent on its criterion that a home must meet the statutory minimum requirements.
	Local authorities are responsible for the local implementation and enforcement of the HHSRS. If a property is found to contain serious hazards the local authority has a duty to take the most appropriate action in relation to the hazard.

Regional Planning and Development: East of England

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department plans to take in response to the recent ruling of the High Court on the East of England Plan; and whether he plans to appeal against the ruling.

Shahid Malik: We are currently considering the court's oral judgment. We are awaiting the formal judgment before deciding on whether or not to appeal.

Social Rented Housing: Waiting Lists

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people in each region are on social housing waiting lists.

Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 17W.

Supporting People Programme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what records his Department maintains of the ways in which local authorities spend funding provided by his Department under the Supporting People programme.

Ian Austin: Supporting People expenditure data are collected from local authorities annually via the Supporting People Local System (SPLS) used to report data to CLG. The information is provided by local authorities at service level and is aggregated by CLG to produce an analysis of spend for the financial year by authority, region and nationally. Information published is shown by primary client group; for example, by older people with support needs, mentally disordered offenders and service type, for example, accommodation based service, or Home Improvement Agencies. The information by all client groups and service type is available on the spkweb.
	Additional information is also available by secondary client group, accommodation type, provider organisation type, service duration and charging type but does not form part of the published analysis.
	In addition to the data provided via the SPLS local authorities were previously required under the Supporting People Grant Conditions to provide audited and commissioning body-approved expenditure figures via CLG web-based data collection and payments processing system logasnet (Local Grants and Subsidy.net).

Supporting People Programme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have used Supporting People funding to provide wardens for sheltered accommodation in the last 12 months.

Ian Austin: The data collected via the Supporting People Local System (SPLS) does not specifically identify expenditure on wardens. However, all of the 150 top tier local authorities have reported expenditure against 'sheltered' and 'very sheltered' accommodation based services which may include warden services.

Supporting People Programme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding his Department provided to each local authority under the Supporting People programme in each of the last three years.

Ian Austin: 1.693 million, 1.686 million and 1.666 million was paid to local authorities in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively.
	A detailed breakdown of Supporting People funding allocated to each individual local authority is provided in the table.
	
		
			  SP grant allocations 
			   
			   Grant allocation 
			  ONS name  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Barking and Dagenham 5,061,217 5,415,502 5,650,993 
			 Barnet 7,497,667 7,803,452 7,803,452 
			 Barnsley 5,673,232 5,673,232 5,673,232 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 4,011,947 4,011,947 3,977,838 
			 Bedfordshire 7,118,216 7,118,216 7,118,216 
			 Bexley 2,984,688 3,193,616 3,417,169 
			 Birmingham 51,912,681 51,912,681 51,912,681 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 6,031,664 5,946,909 5,649,563 
			 Blackpool 6,138,533 6,568,230 6,821,148 
			 Bolton 9,101,572 9,101,572 9,101,572 
			 Bournemouth 11,152,392 10,594,772 10,065,034 
			 Bracknell Forest 2,016,121 1,964,461 1,866,238 
			 Bradford 19,219,872 19,219,872 19,219,872 
			 Brent 12,806,959 12,806,959 12,806,959 
			 Brighton and Hove 12,659,223 12,464,495 11,841,270 
			 Bristol, City of 27,812,095 27,714,131 27,009,329 
			 Bromley 5,428,129 5,428,129 5,428,129 
			 Buckinghamshire 5,587,753 5,587,753 5,587,753 
			 Bury 6,653,044 6,610,689 6,360,443 
			 Calderdale 5,674,656 5,674,656 5,674,656 
			 Cambridgeshire 12,168,459 11,965,723 11,367,437 
			 Camden 35,723,266 33,937,103 32,240,248 
			 Cheshire 20,537,745 20,019,592 19,018,613 
			 City of London 698,534 694,413 681,913 
			 Cornwall 14,204,036 14,204,036 14,204,036 
			 Coventry 15,490,980 14,890,394 14,145,875 
			 Croydon 8,951,651 8,951,651 8,951,651 
			 Cumbria 9,443,164 10,104,185 10,104,185 
			 Darlington 3,825,855 3,820,097 3,737,103 
			 Derby 10,556,336 10,556,336 10,556,336 
			 Derbyshire 17,260,646 17,260,646 17,260,646 
			 Devon 19,337,068 19,337,068 19,337,068 
			 Doncaster 11,064,106 11,064,106 11,064,106 
			 Dorset 9,665,842 9,665,842 9,665,842 
			 Dudley 6,439,067 6,484,018 6,484,018 
			 Durham 14,588,081 14,588,081 14,588,081 
			 Ealing 11,125,397 11,125,397 11,125,397 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 4,937,622 5,283,256 5,625,040 
			 East Sussex 11,561,210 11,561,210 11,561,210 
			 Enfield 11,055,312 11,055,312 11,055,312 
			 Essex 29,622,839 29,622,839 29,622,839 
			 Gateshead 5,987,723 6,406,864 6,664,235 
			 Gloucestershire 24,633,207 23,401,547 22,231,469 
			 Greenwich 9,302,736 9,953,928 9,953,928 
			 Hackney 22,221,917 22,221,917 22,221,917 
			 Halton 7,803,714 7,602,565 7,222,437 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 12,826,145 12,668,832 12,035,390 
			 Hampshire 31,109,951 31,009,951 31,009,951 
			 Haringey 21,330,020 20,682,294 19,648,179 
			 Harrow 3,582,678 3,833,438 3,833,438 
			 Hartlepool 3,984,694 3,984,694 3,984,694 
			 Havering 2,578,536 2,759,034 2,952,166 
			 Herefordshire County of 6,523,367 6,197,199 5,887,339 
			 Hertfordshire 21,000,881 21,000,881 21,000,881 
			 Hillingdon 5,954,047 5,954,047 5,954,047 
			 Hounslow 5,525,734 5,912,535 6,060,344 
			 Isle of Wight 6,379,804 6,142,762 5,835,624 
			 Isles of Scilly 1,846 1,835 1,802 
			 Islington 15,934,504 15,934,504 15,934,504 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 11,170,507 10,669,620 10,136,139 
			 Kent 32,024,915 32,024,915 32,024,915 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 11,059,567 11,059,567 11,059,567 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4,405,694 4,405,694 4,405,694 
			 Kirklees 10,593,700 10,593,700 10,593,700 
			 Knowsley 7,381,274 7,381,274 7,381,274 
			 Lambeth 20,792,197 20,792,197 20,792,197 
			 Lancashire 29,052,873 29,052,873 29,052,873 
			 Leeds 32,986,531 32,986,531 32,986,531 
			 Leicester 15,529,446 15,398,432 14,688,725 
			 Leicestershire 7,012,300 7,098,383 7,126,208 
			 Lewisham 17,219,829 17,219,829 17,219,829 
			 Lincolnshire 21,373,288 20,798,681 19,758,747 
			 Liverpool 41,900,943 41,124,873 39,068,629 
			 Luton 4,520,292 4,520,292 4,520,292 
			 Manchester 38,557,790 38,416,502 37,395,659 
			 Medway 5,840,889 5,840,889 5,840,889 
			 Merton 3,385,278 3,385,278 3,385,278 
			 Middlesbrough 5,982,841 5,982,841 5,982,841 
			 Milton Keynes 5,241,687 5,241,687 5,241,687 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 18,817,689 18,121,540 17,215,463 
			 Newham 11,068,502 11,843,297 12,458,291 
			 Norfolk 16,336,572 16,336,572 16,336,572 
			 North East Lincolnshire 6,145,522 6,145,522 6,145,522 
			 North Lincolnshire 3,454,079 3,695,865 3,866,848 
			 North Somerset 5,874,185 5,874,185 5,874,185 
			 North Tyneside 8,623,570 8,623,570 8,623,570 
			 North Yorkshire 15,180,220 15,072,880 14,734,962 
			 Northamptonshire 14,256,621 14,256,621 14,256,621 
			 Northumberland 7,054,329 7,054,329 7,054,329 
			 Nottingham 26,052,630 24,749,999 23,512,499 
			 Nottinghamshire 25,705,789 24,969,520 23,721,044 
			 Oldham 8,227,686 8,227,686 8,227,686 
			 Oxfordshire 18,856,965 17,914,117 17,018,411 
			 Peterborough 4,607,583 4,930,114 5,020,820 
			 Plymouth 8,213,292 8,213,292 8,213,292 
			 Poole 4,944,078 4,696,874 4,462,030 
			 Portsmouth 8,921,250 8,497,857 8,072,964 
			 Reading 4,935,083 4,856,519 4,613,693 
			 Redbridge 4,467,863 4,780,613 5,115,256 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 2,410,460 2,579,192 2,759,736 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,847,584 2,847,584 2,847,584 
			 Rochdale 15,076,659 15,076,659 15,076,659 
			 Rotherham 7,567,131 7,567,131 7,567,131 
			 Rutland 730,810 726,498 713,421 
			 Salford 13,191,145 13,191,145 13,191,145 
			 Sandwell 10,580,319 10,580,319 10,580,319 
			 Sefton 6,746,556 6,746,556 6,746,556 
			 Sheffield 25,227,224 25,227,224 25,227,224 
			 Shropshire 6,345,391 6,345,391 6,345,391 
			 Slough 4,325,790 4,215,339 4,004,572 
			 Solihull 2,778,479 2,972,973 3,181,081 
			 Somerset 19,063,308 18,258,051 17,345,148 
			 South Gloucestershire 4,674,886 4,674,886 4,674,886 
			 South Tyneside 4,947,095 4,947,095 4,947,095 
			 Southampton 10,559,245 10,145,230 9,637,969 
			 Southend-on-Sea 4,908,331 4,908,331 4,908,331 
			 Southwark 18,765,619 18,765,619 18,765,619 
			 St. Helens 10,218,473 10,174,734 9,878,592 
			 Staffordshire 11,971,701 12,809,720 13,494,999 
			 Stockport 8,022,591 8,022,591 8,022,591 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 2,950,823 3,157,381 3,378,397 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 5,479,678 5,863,255 6,273,683 
			 Suffolk 18,734,394 18,444,845 17,522,603 
			 Sunderland 11,263,297 11,263,297 11,263,297 
			 Surrey 18,509,347 18,509,347 18,509,347 
			 Sutton 3,667,041 3,667,041 3,667,041 
			 Swindon 5,397,250 5,387,575 5,292,578 
			 Tameside 7,217,707 7,217,707 7,217,707 
			 Telford and Wrekin 3,917,442 3,917,442 3,917,442 
			 Thurrock 2,375,440 2,541,721 2,604,713 
			 Torbay 5,708,189 5,600,245 5,320,233 
			 Tower Hamlets 15,384,899 15,384,899 15,384,899 
			 Trafford 5,431,885 5,431,885 5,431,885 
			 Wakefield 6,967,057 7,007,331 7,007,331 
			 Walsall 7,067,337 7,067,337 7,067,337 
			 Waltham Forest 7,882,823 8,434,621 8,859,269 
			 Wandsworth 11,177,258 11,177,258 11,177,258 
			 Warrington 7,611,086 7,373,419 7,004,748 
			 Warwickshire 10,146,789 10,146,789 10,146,789 
			 West Berkshire 5,408,772 5,138,333 4,881,417 
			 West Sussex 15,049,327 15,049,327 15,049,327 
			 Westminster 17,051,638 17,051,638 17,051,638 
			 Wigan 7,626,132 8,159,961 8,731,159 
			 Wiltshire 8,174,934 8,174,934 8,174,934 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 1,723,056 1,723,056 1,723,056 
			 Wirral 10,341,400 10,341,400 10,341,400 
			 Wokingham 1,609,880 1,609,880 1,609,880 
			 Wolverhampton 7,997,826 7,997,826 7,997,826 
			 Worcestershire 14,984,323 14,984,323 14,984,323 
			 York 8,268,239 7,854,827 7,462,086 
			 Total 1,693,339,796 1,685,987,604 1,665,990,230 
			  Note: Information taken from published and internal sources

Supporting People Programme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the Supporting People scheme his Department has allocated to Handyperson schemes in each of the last three years.

Ian Austin: The Supporting People programme is administered at the local level by the relevant administering authority. It is for the authority to decide which services to fund, informed by the local needs and priorities identified in their five year Supporting People Strategies.
	The following table sets out how much local authorities spent from their Support People allocation, on Home Improvement Agencies, to deliver services including handypersons services at the local level.
	
		
			  Spend reported Home Improvement Agencies 
			million 
			 2006-07 15.414 
			 2007-08 17.832 
		
	
	A 2008 Survey of funding sources for HIA handyperson services by their national body, Foundations, estimated that the Supporting People contribution for Handyperson services only to be approximately 900,000.

Tenant Services Authority: Complaints

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints the Tenant Services Authority has received about the quality of its service in each month since its establishment.

Ian Austin: The TSA has a three-stage complaints procedure. The first two stages are internal, following which the applicant may request an independent review with the Independent Complaints Reviewer(1) (stage 3).
	The following table shows the number of cases that have been considered under the TSA's formal complaints procedures. The table shows the concluded cases in each month from December to May. This includes the number of individual complainants who may have raised more than one complaint.
	(1 )The Independent Complaints Reviewer (ICR) investigates complaints made by members of the public, businesses, professional advisers and others. Find further information at:
	http://www.icrev.org.uk/icr_about.shtml
	
		
			   Stage 1  Stage 2  Stage 3 
			 December 1 1 0 
			 January 1 1 0 
			 February 2 0 0 
			 March 3 2 0 
			 April 0 3 0 
			 May 0 3 0

Tenant Services Authority: Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the staffing budget of the Tenant Services Authority is for 2009-10.

Ian Austin: For 2009-10, the staffing budget for the Tenant Services Authority is 15.3 million.

TREASURY

Banks: Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the Government guarantee scheme for asset-backed securities; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In the 2009 Budget, the Government announced that the asset-backed securities guarantee scheme is available for banks and building societies to use alongside the existing credit guarantee scheme, to support their lending to the economy:
	http://budget.treasury.gov.uk
	The Government will keep the operation of the scheme under review, though it is too early to assess its impact.

Banks: Government Securities

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons his Department determined that  (a) bonds held by the Government in Bradford and Bingley would be ranked above Bradford and Bingley subordinated bondholders and  (b) bonds held by the Government in Northern Rock would be ranked below Northern Rock subordinated bondholders; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale) on 17 June 2009,  Official Report, column 323W.

Bradford and Bingley

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons Bradford and Bingley was taken into public ownership; when the plans for such action were drawn up; and on what date the decision was taken to put such plans into effect.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Dr. Taylor) on 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 365W.

Child Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of the cost of child benefit if payment were restricted to households with an annual income of up to  (a) 58,000 and  (b) 50,000.

Stephen Timms: The estimated annual costs of child benefit payments restricted to annual household income up to 58,000 and 50,000 are 10.40 billion and 9.91 billion in 2009-10, respectively.

Coastal Change Fund

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Coastal Change Fund will have a Barnett consequential.

Liam Byrne: The Coastal Change Fund is being funded from within existing DEFRA provision on which the devolved Administrations have already received Barnett consequentials in the CSR.

Council Tax

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to assess the effect on the expenditure from the public purse for administration of the collection of local taxation of the replacement of council tax with a local income tax.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government have no current plans to assess the cost of replacing council tax with a local income tax.

Council Tax: Valuation

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Valuation Office Agency's council tax banding support tool became operational for the whole of England; what the cost of the project to develop the tool was; and which external organisations were engaged to support the development process.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) council tax banding support tool was developed with assistance from CapGemini, SAS and Cole Layer Trumble/Tyler Technologies and delivered within budget, at 995,000. It was first made available within the VOA on 27 March 2008. After this date, it was brought into use on a phased basis, following appropriate training.

Debt Collection: Private Sector

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to monitor the practices of private debt collection firms contracted by HM Revenue and Customs.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is currently undertaking a small scale six month pilot exercise involving the use of private sector debt collection agencies at some stages in the pursuit and recovery of some debts. The contracts in place for the trial are being closely monitored. They require the debt collection agencies to maintain the same standards as HMRC with provision for the Department to audit and assure this.

Debts: NHS

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methodology his Department uses to account for the  (a) actual and  (b) potential debt of NHS trusts and foundation trusts.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister of State for Health on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 118W.

Departmental Cleaning Services

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations provided cleaning services to his Department in each of the last three years; and what the cost of each such contract was in each such year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Soft services are provided in 1 Horse Guards Road as part of a PFI contract with Exchequer Partnership (EP). OCS delivers the cleaning element of those services.
	The soft services are currently being market tested by EP and it would be inappropriate to disclose details of pay rates at this time.
	In Norwich, cleaning services are undertaken by Mitie Facilities Services Ltd. Cleaning cost for the past three years were:
	
		
			
			 2006-07 124,546.32 
			 2007-08 128,282.71 
			 2008-09 132,131.19

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the water consumption on his Department's office estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of electricity used by his Department which was derived from renewable sources in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the amount of waste arising from his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport used for administrative operations by his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(7)  what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel by staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury is committed to improving its environmental performance in the use of resources and to reducing its energy use year on year.
	Detailed information on the Treasury Group's sustainable performance by building for the years in question were published in HM Treasury's departmental report for 2007-08 (Cm 7408). Updates on progress will be provided annually.

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2009,  Official Report, column 585W, on the departmental internet, how many  (a) unique visitors and  (b) page impressions each website received in each of the last 12 months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Figures for unique visitors and page impressions for each website maintained by the Department in each of the last 12 months are given in the following tables. Statistics for some of the sites are unavailable due to the migration of sites to centrally hosted servers in October 2008.
	
		
			   March 2008  April 2008  May 2008 
			   Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions 
			 www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 266,462 7,306,670 236,654 6,134,432 222,414 6,075,907 
			 www.isb.gov.uk 5,136 (1) 5,395 (1) 6249 (1) 
			 www.ges.gov.uk 5,505 17787 5,380 18,437 4,805 14,573 
			 www.qsr.gov.uk 17,065 59,931 25,158 90,451 27,236 90,843 
			 www.euro.gov   
			 www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk   
			 www.financial-reporting.gov.uk   
			 http://thegfp.treasury.gov.uk 2,003 8,296 
		
	
	
		
			   June 2008  July 2008  August 2008 
			   Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions 
			 www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 212,796 5,967,453 164,583 6,205,519 126,319 5,675,683 
			 www.isb.gov.uk 6,369 (1) 4,574 (1) 3,796 (1) 
			 www.ges.gov.uk 4,786 14,005 4,183 18,398 3,829 18,727 
			 www.qsr.gov.uk 23,082 89,163 20,547 94,688 17,065 88,250 
			 www.euro.gov   
			 www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk   
			 www.financial-reporting.gov.uk   
			 http://thegfp.treasury.gov.uk 822 8,672 684 9,063 1,596 8,485 
		
	
	
		
			   September 2008  October 2008  November 2008 
			   Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions 
			 www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 80,548 6,139,875 465,585 3,002,734 245,986 1,420,116 
			 www.isb.gov.uk 2,092 (1) 4,235 (1) 4,506 (1) 
			 www.ges.gov.uk 6,182 21,403 9,060 32,635 6,208 20,211 
			 www.qsr.gov.uk 12,119 62,9461 9,583 151,681 9,269 119,145 
			 www.euro.gov   17,541 127,867 16,301 89,206 
			 www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk   985 24,367 353 9,254 
			 www.financial-reporting.gov.uk   4,463 61,631 4,634 41,227 
			 http://thegfp.treasury.gov.uk 1,882 8,750 2,067 9,292 2,361 9,999 
		
	
	
		
			   December 2008  January 2009  February2009 
			   Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions 
			 www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 142,120 708,403 173,607 891,939 152,542 871,393 
			 www.isb.gov.uk 3,413 (1) 3,800 (1) 3,973 (1) 
			 www.ges.gov.uk 4,860 15,645 7,854 24,154 7,801 25,505 
			 www.qsr.gov.uk 8,324 123,970 9379 143,996 8,851 147,642 
			 www.euro.gov 17,032 88,416 20,906 109,079 15,472 97,093 
			 www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk 1,022 9,727 1,173 17,868 1,156 20,779 
			 www.financial-reporting.gov.uk 3,439 37,378 3,709 53,637 2,879 53,590 
			 http://thegfp.treasury.gov.uk 1,375 6,922 1,898 8,996 1,750 8,167 
		
	
	
		
			   March 2009  April 2009  May 2009  Comments 
			   Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions  Visitors  Impressions  
			 www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 188,040 971,767 281,589 1,427,205 161,022 72,2752  
			 www.isb.gov.uk 5,669 (1) 4,738 (1) 5,320 (1)  
			 www.ges.gov.uk 5,940 20,044 5,263 16,974 4,249 13,822  
			 www.qsr.gov.uk 10,778 162,877 See note 2 
			 www.euro.gov 17,044 98,978 14,322 76,499 9,057 41,144 See note 3 
			 www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk 1,407 16,957 1,031 14,736 1,155 14,016 As above 
			 www.financial-reporting.gov.uk 3,174 55,191 2,775 47,909 2,732 47,255 As above 
			 http://thegfp.treasury.gov.uk 2,696 11,568 2,330 9,807 77 281  
			 (1) Unavailable.  Notes: 2 GSR website migrated to the Civil Service website on 1 April 2009 3 Statistics only available from October 2008

Departmental Lost Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many laptop computers belonging to  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been lost or stolen in the last five years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number of laptop computers belonging to the Treasury and its agencies that have been lost or stolen in the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Dept/Agency  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 HM Treasury 4 3 2 5 0 0 
			 OGC10 0 1 
			 DMO 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 1 Data for OGC prior to 2007 is no longer available 
		
	
	The encryption of laptops used by the Treasury and its agencies since 2008 has significantly reduced the risk of data/information loss.

Departmental Surveys

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest staff satisfaction survey for  (a) his Department,  (b) each of its agencies and  (c) HM Revenue and Customs.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury last undertook a staff satisfaction survey in December 2008. A summary of the results from this survey has been placed in the Library.
	A copy of the February 2009 OGC staff survey has been placed in the Library.
	The UK Debt Management Office has not run a staff satisfaction survey since November 2003.
	The latest engagement survey for HMRC took place in February 2009. The results were published on the HMRC website on the 20 May 2009 and can be accessed via:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk

Equitable Life

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the report of the Select Committee on Public Administration on Equitable Life.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government responded to the Committee's report on 19 May.

Equitable Life

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the most recent report of the parliamentary ombudsman on Equitable Life.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government regret that the parliamentary ombudsman felt it was necessary to lay her further report but stands by the response to her main report it made on 15 January 2009. The Government are now working to deliver the ex gratia payments scheme it has announced as quickly as possible.

Equitable Life

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date Mr. Simon Bor was seconded from his Department to assist Sir John Chadwick's inquiry into the Equitable Life ex-gratia payment scheme.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on junior officials' employment details.
	All secondments involving Treasury staff are carried out in accordance with the civil service code.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the adequacy of the resources available to the Financial Ombudsman Service to deal with present levels of demand.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is operationally independent of Government. The steps taken by the FOS to deal with the demands it faces are detailed in its corporate plan and budget 2009-10 published in March 2009. The Financial Services authority (FSA) approves the budget of the FOS and has a duty to ensure that the FOS is at all times capable of exercising its functions.

Government Departments: ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance the Office of Government Commerce's Centre of Expertise in Sustainable Procurement has provided on environmental criteria for government ICT procurement; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Centre of Expertise in Sustainable Procurement (CESP) guidance on environmental criteria for Government ICT procurement is outlined in the 'Quick Win' product specifications, which can be found on the DEFRA website:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/what/priority/consumptionproduction/quickWins/index.htm
	The guidance is based on the Greening Government ICT Strategy published in July 2008:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/cio/greening_government_ict

Health Service Ombudsman

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the evidence given by the Health Service Ombudsman to the Public Bill Committee on the Health and Social Care Bill, Session 2007-08, what the outcome was of discussions between his Department and the Ombudsman on the additional funding required by the Ombudsman for her new role in the NHS complaints process.

Liam Byrne: The additional funding required by the Ombudsman in 2009-10 has been sanctioned.

Lord Paul

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times Lord Paul of Marylebone has visited No. 11 Downing Street on matters related to his Department's responsibilities in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Members: Correspondence

Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the letter of 2 February 2009, ref 3/08735/2009, on value added tax from the hon. Member for Congleton on behalf of her constituent Mr Carl Hammonds.

Stephen Timms: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the letter of 29 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on the closure of the Peterhead HM Revenue and Customs office.

Stephen Timms: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 2 March 2009.

Private Finance Initiative

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the  (a) costs and  (b) benefits of assisting private finance initiative projects through (i) its Infrastructure Finance Unit and (ii) direct funding from the public purse.

Ian Pearson: The Government believe it is vital to get infrastructure projects under way as swiftly as possibleto support jobs and the economy this year as well as delivering important public services. Switching to alternative procurement methods or conventional funding for these projects at this late stage would incur significant additional delays or risk projects failing. For these reasons we have decided that providing additional debt finance is the most effective way to get construction underway swiftly and support jobs now.

Private Finance Initiative: Derbyshire

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of private finance initiatives in  (a) West Derbyshire constituency and  (b) Derbyshire.

Ian Pearson: All local authority PFI projects seeking PFI credits are subject to an assessment by the Projects Review Group (PRG), which is chaired by HM Treasury.
	Minutes of the PRG meetings held in 2008 and 2009 can be found on the HM Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_projectreview group.htm
	A list of all signed PFI projects can be found on the HM Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm

Sri Lanka: International Assistance

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1328W, on Sri Lanka: international assistance, when he expects the International Monetary Fund to present a programme for Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The International Monetary Fund has not yet presented a programme for Sri Lanka and the UK has not been asked to vote on a programme yet.
	Once a programme is presented, it will be assessed on its merits and the situation on the ground in Sri Lanka to decide whether it will help the people of Sri Lanka.

Tax Credit: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residents of Peterborough constituency are in receipt of tax credits; and what the average level of tax credit payment to such residents was in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: The latest information on the number of recipient families benefiting from tax credits, by each parliamentary constituency, is given in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) snapshot publication, Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. April 2009.
	Information on average annual entitlements by each parliamentary constituency, based on incomes and final family circumstances in 2006-07, is produced in the HMRC publication, Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Geographical Analyses. 2006-07. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	Information for 2007-08 is not yet available at parliamentary constituency level. Further information can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tc-delay-07-08.htm

Tax Evasion

John Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs staff administered the provisions of anti-tax avoidance legislation  (a) in 2007,  (b) in 2008 and  (c) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff use whatever parts of the tax code are relevant to help people and businesses pay the right amount of tax and, where necessary, to tackle tax avoidance, evasion and fraud. HMRC is unable to provide information regarding the specific number of resources deployed on the separate elements of that work.

Tax Evasion: ICT

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has commissioned on the effect of the provisions on IR35 on the IT contractor sector in the last five years.

Ian Pearson: The intermediaries legislation also known as IR35 is not targeted at any particular occupation or business sector. It is anti avoidance legislation which prevents workers, who are providing their services under what would otherwise be considered employment terms, being able to pay less income tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) by providing their services through intermediaries, most commonly limited companies.
	The legislation seeks to ensure that what is properly employment income is subject to income tax and NICs as such.

Taxation: Members

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans HM Revenue and Customs has to enable hon. Members to submit tax returns online.

Stephen Timms: The vast majority of self-assessment (SA) taxpayers can take advantage of HM Revenue and Customs' online services to file their tax return via the internet. However, a small proportion of SA taxpayers (including Members of Parliament) need to complete special dedicated pages. These forms are not available online since it would be disproportionately costly to develop the links to departmental computer systems.

VAT: Repairs and Maintenance

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 54W, on value added tax: repairs and maintenance, if he will reduce to five per cent. the rate of value added tax applicable to the maintenance and repair of listed buildings.

Stephen Timms: VAT is a broad-based tax upon consumption and although the Government continue to keep the impact of VAT on all building work under review, it only applies reduced VAT rates where it believes these would provide well-targeted and cost-effective support for its policy objectives.

Welfare Tax Credits

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision there is for tax credits for those between 18 and 24 years old without children.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dundee, West (Mr. McGovern), on 16 April 2007,  Official Report, column 422W.

Welfare Tax Credits: Islington

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residents of Islington North constituency are in receipt of tax credits; and what the average tax credit payment to such residents was in the last 12 month period for which information is available.

Stephen Timms: The latest information on the number of recipient families benefiting from tax credits, by each parliamentary constituency, is available in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) snapshot publication Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. April 2009.
	For the average amount paid, information on average annual entitlements by each parliamentary constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes in 2006-07, is produced in the HMRC publications Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Geographical Analyses. 2006-07. All of these publications are available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	Information for 2007-08 is not yet available at parliamentary constituency level. More information can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tc-delay-07-08.htm

Written Questions: Government Responses

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when he plans to answer question  (a) 279978 and  (b) 279979, tabled on 10 June 2009, on the Asset Protection Scheme;
	(2)  when he plans to answer question 279981, tabled on 10 June 2009, on public sector contracting.

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer question  (a) 279857 and  (b) 279858, tabled on 10 June 2009, on road fuel duty.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The former Exchequer Secretary replied to the hon. Members within the parliamentary deadline.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer Question 279980, tabled on 10 June 2009, on Northern Rock.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Economic Secretary replied to the hon. Member within the parliamentary deadline.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Departmental Electricity

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the percentage of electricity used by his Department which was derived from renewable sources in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families makes an annual report to the Sustainable Development Commission on electricity sourced from renewables as part of its returns for the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report.
	From the 2007 and 2008 SDiG Reportsavailable in full under Publications at:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/
	electricity sourced from renewables for the office estate was reported as  (a) 8.9 per cent. in 2006-07 and  (b) 16.4 per cent. in 2007-08.

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families makes an annual report to the Sustainable Development Commission on energy consumed per full-time equivalent as part of their returns for the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report.
	From the 2007 and 2008 SDiG Reports (available in full under Publications at:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/
	energy consumed per full-time equivalent for the office estate was  (a) 5,187 kWh in 2006-07 and  (b) 4,255 kWh in 2007-08.

Departmental Lost Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many laptop computers belonging to his Department and its predecessor have been lost or stolen in the last five years.

Diana Johnson: The number of laptop computers reported as lost or stolen in the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			   Number lost or stolen 
			 2008-09 6 
			 2007-08 13 
			 2006-07 9 
			 2005-06 19 
			 2004-05 37

Departmental Water

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of water consumption on his Department's office estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families makes an annual report to the Sustainable Development Commission on water consumption as part of their returns for the annual Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) report.
	From the 2006 and 2007 SDiG Reportsavailable in full under Publications at:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/
	water consumption for the office estate was reported as  (a) 61,569 m3 in 2005-06 and  (b) 66,145 m3 in 2006-07 which equated to  (a)(ii) 10.2m3 per full-time equivalent and  (b)(ii) 10.9 m3 per full-time equivalent.

Extracurricular Activities: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) out-of-school and  (b) holiday play schemes for children there were in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data were collected at local authority level only. Table 1 shows the number of out-of-school clubs in Essex in each of the last five years for which data were collected. The last year that Ofsted collected this information was 2008. Information on the number of holiday play schemes is not available as Ofsted do not collect these data.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number( 1, 2 ) of out of school clubs for children under eight years of age, position at 31 March each year 
			   Essex local authority area 
			 2004 200 
			 2005 200 
			 2006 200 
			 2007 200 
			 2008 200 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100.  (2) Data Source: Ofsted. 
		
	
	Ofsted has collected information on the number of registered child care places available to children aged eight and under on a quarterly basis from March 2003. Their latest figures were published in their report Registered Childcare Providers and Places, March 2009, which is available on their website:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Statistics/Registered-childcare-providers-and-places-in-England-December-2008-onwards

School Meals

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research his Department has evaluated for benchmarking purposes on comparative nutritional standards in school meals in EU member states.

Diana Johnson: The School Food Trust has conducted research to examine school meal provision (including nutritional standards) in England and other Western European CountriesHarper and Wells, 2007, School meal provision in England and other Western European Countries: a review:
	http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/UploadDocs/Library/Documents/sft_school_meals_review.pdf
	The report revealed that England has the most comprehensive school food standards when compared with leading countries in Europe, as well as the US, Canada and Australia.

Schools: Admissions

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department issues to  (a) schools and  (b) local education authorities on the methodology to be used in calculating distances from home to school (a) on foot and (b) by road for the purposes of determining eligibility for school admissions.

Diana Johnson: The School Admissions Code requires admission authorities to explain clearly in their admission arrangements how the distance between the school and the child's home will be measured.
	It is for schools or local authorities to determine the method of calculating such distances, although the system used must be
	reliable and reasonable system which parents can easily understand.

Science: GCSE

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils who achieved a GCSE in both core science and additional applied science were educated in the  (a) maintained mainstream and  (b) independent sector in each year since 2007.

Vernon Coaker: In 2008, of the pupils at the end of key stage 4 who achieved a GCSE in both Core Science and Additional Applied Science, 47,767 (99.5 per cent.) were educated in the maintained mainstream sector and 185 (0.4 per cent. were educated in the independent sector.
	Core Science and Additional Applied Sciences GCSEs were first introduced for teaching in 2006. There were no entries for students taking both qualifications in 2007.

Social Services: Haringey

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter received by his Department's predecessor on 16 February 2007 arising from an employment tribunal and containing allegations concerning child protection procedures in the London Borough of Haringey, redacting sensitive personal information as appropriate.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not intend to place the letter in the Librarythe letter itself is already in the public domain. It was, however, received by the Department in strict confidence and that confidence remains binding on the Department. The letter covered a statement of case relating to an employment tribunal hearing. This contains personal data relating to a number of individuals, and it would not be appropriate for the Department to make it available.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Climate Change

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department has taken to adapt to climate change in the last two years.

Jonathan R Shaw: All Departments are actively involved in the cross-Government Adapting to Climate Change Programme, which aims to help society adapt to climate change. The role of the programme is to develop and provide a comprehensive evidence base including adaptation tools, to raise awareness of the need to adapt, to measure success and to work across Government at all levels to embed adaptation. Further details about the programme's work can be found at
	www.defra.gov/adaptation.
	In April 2007 DWP commissioned the Met Office to undertake an initial, high level review of the potential impacts of climate change on the policies and operations of the Department. This report was delivered in January 2008, and concluded that there were a number of areassuch as increases in hot weather, and extreme weather eventswhich could impact on DWP services.
	A more detailed review building on this report will be commissioned once the 2009 UK Climate Projections have been published by the UK Climate Impacts Programme later this summer. This will then give DWP policy makers and planners greater clarity of the potential impacts of climate change, covering opportunities as well as negative consequences, and allow them to build adaptations fully into future plans.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Jim Knight: The following table gives details of carbon emissions from offices in total, and per member of staff.
	
		
			   CO 2  (offices) (Kg)  Staffing  CO 2  per head (Kg) 
			 2006-07 245,423,298 120,277 2,040 
			 2007-08 216,519,724 110,490 1,959 
		
	
	As there is no requirement within the targets for Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate to report carbon per full-time equivalent member of staff, we have used for consistency the same staffing figures as used to calculate the water reduction targets. These include an agreed allowance for on site contractors/visitors.

Departmental Data Protection

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many officials in  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies have been (i) disciplined and (ii) dismissed for (A) breaches of data protection requirements and (B) inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: Information is a key asset and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of the Government. The Department for Work and Pensions adheres to the Security Policy Framework and the Data Handling Report produced by the Cabinet Office. These provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place measures to ensure tight security.
	Information on the number of people disciplined and dismissed for breaches of data protection requirements and inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data are not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department records cases under the broad heading of disclosure of information but this is not broken down further. The information provided in the table records the number of staff disciplined under the broad heading of disclosure of information in the last 12 months.
	
		
			   Disciplined 
			 Jobcentre Plus 16 
			 The Pension Disability and Carers Service 25 
			 Corporate Centre (1) 
			 (1) The Department's policy is not to publish data where five or fewer individuals are concerned because it might be possible to identify those employees. 
		
	
	If staff are found to have been responsible for a breach of data security procedures disciplinary action will be taken for serious or gross misconduct. Depending on the circumstances of the case deliberate unauthorised access to information is classified as serious misconduct which normally carries a penalty of a final written warning. If it is classified as gross misconduct it could lead to termination of employment. Persistent unauthorised access to or use of information is classified as gross misconduct which normally carries a penalty of dismissal.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for her Department's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans she has for future energy efficiency measures.

Jonathan R Shaw: DWP receives fully serviced accommodation from its estates partner Telereal Trillium under a PFI arrangement. DWP does not, therefore, have direct responsibility for investing in energy saving measures. However, there is an agreed shared savings mechanism which provides Telereal Trillium with an incentive to invest in such measures.
	The amounts invested by our PFI partner, in projects such as water-less urinals, tea-boiler timers, increased insulation, savawatt plugs and lighting improvements, are as follows:
	
		
			
			 2004-05 298,511 
			 2005-06 416,705 
			 2006-07 713,404 
			 2007-08 491,000 
			  Note: The figure for 2008-09 is estimated at 467,000. 
		
	
	The measures are piloted to validate the business case for their implementation before being introduced more widely. Their effectiveness is then further assessed on a financial basis, a year in arrears. DWP is involved in, and agrees, both of these processes.
	Future plans involve the continued roll-out of automated meter reading (AMR) and the piloting of voltage optimisation equipment.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of her Department's estate.

Jonathan R Shaw: The DWP finance director general acts as senior responsible office for sustainable development within DWP. Improving energy efficiency features within the targets for sustainable operations on the Government estate, and as such responsibility for day-to-day delivery rests with the commercial director.

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Jim Knight: The following table gives details of energy consumption in offices in total, and per member of staff.
	
		
			   Energy consumption (kWh)  Staffing  Energy consumption/head (kWh) 
			 2006-07 720,001,384 120,277 5,986 
			 2007-08 620,037,275 110,490 5,611 
		
	
	As there is no requirement within the targets for Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate to report energy consumption per full-time equivalent member of staff, we have used for consistency the same staffing figures as used to calculate the water reduction targets. These include an agreed allowance for on-site contractors/visitors.

Departmental Manpower

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were employed in each section of her Department in  (a) the Borough of Wyre,  (b) the Borough of Blackpool and  (c) the City of Preston in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The number of people employed in each of the Department's business areas in the boroughs of Wyre, Blackpool and the City of Preston at 31 March of each year from 2005 to 2009 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			  Borough of Wyre  
			 Jobcentre Plus 76 65 59 51 40 
			 Pensions, Disability and Carers Service(1) 919 854 644 559 381 
			 Child Support Agency(2) 0 3 1 2 0 
			 Corporate and Shared Services 1,265 1,061 936 793 979 
			 Total 2,260 1,983 1,640 1,405 1,400 
			   
			  Borough of Blackpool  
			 Jobcentre Plus 444 470 346 376 435 
			 Pensions, Disability and Carers Service(1) 2,678 2,893 2,803 2,588 2,527 
			 Child Support Agency(2) 2 0 144 168 0 
			 Corporate and Shared Services 88 3 1 1 5 
			 Total 3,212 3,366 3,294 3,133 2,967 
			   
			  City of Preston  
			 Jobcentre Plus 448 523 584 556 527 
			 Pensions, Disability and Carers Service(1) 1,279 1,196 1,163 998 918 
			 Child Support Agency(2) 2 2 1 1 0 
			 Corporate and Shared Services 148 98 50 62 96 
			 Total 1,877 1,819 1,798 1,617 1,541 
			 (1) The Pensions Disability and Carers Service was formed in 2008 by the merger of The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service. For consistency the figures have been combined for earlier years also. (2) The Child Support Agency transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission on 1 November 2008.  Note: Figures shown are on the basis of headcount i.e. the number of individual staff employed.

Departmental Waste

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the amount of waste arising from her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Jim Knight: The following table gives details of waste arisings from offices in total, and per member of staff.
	
		
			   Waste arisings (metric tonnes)  Staffing  Waste per head (metric tonnes) 
			 2006-07 22,365 120,277 0.186 
			 2007-08 21,133 110,490 0.191 
		
	
	As there is no requirement within the targets for Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate to report waste arisings per full-time equivalent member of staff, we have used for consistency the same staffing figures as used to calculate the water reduction targets. These include an agreed allowance for on-site contractors/visitors.

Departmental Water

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the water consumption on her Department's estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Jim Knight: The following table gives details of water consumption within DWP:
	
		
			   Total consumption (m( 3) )  Staff figures  Consumption per head (m( 3) ) 
			 2005-06 1,179,739 126,600 9.3 
			 2006-07 1,137,368 120,277 9.4 
		
	
	Please note that the staffing figure, in line with the reporting requirements of the Sustainable Development in Government Report, is based on the number of full-time equivalents including an agreed allowance for on site contractors/visitors.
	Consumption further reduced in 2007-08 to 8.3m(3).

Digitial Technology: Disadvantaged

Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Benefits Agency applies principles of digital inclusion.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 21 April 2009
	I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 11 June 2009, Official Report, column 974W.

Disability Living Allowance: Overseas Residence

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many claims for disability living allowance, carers allowance and associated benefits submitted by expatriate UK citizens are under consideration by her Department's exportability team;
	(2)  what estimate her Department has made of the cost of meeting in full all outstanding expatriate claims for disability living allowance, carers allowance and associated benefits;
	(3)  what steps her Department plans to take to comply with the ruling of the European Court of Justice on the payment of exportable benefits.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department is already complying with the European Court of Justice ruling on the payment of exportable disability benefits.
	Approximately 2,100 people who are living in the European Economic Area or Switzerland have contacted the Department in relation to making a new claim or to request reinstatement of an award of disability living allowance, attendance allowance or carer's allowance that had been previously disallowed because they had moved abroad. The Exportability Teams have made decisions on around 1,100 of these cases and are continuing to process the remaining requests, of which there are around 1,000.
	We estimate the cost of paying all people who are likely to satisfy the eligibility criteria for payment of the UK disability benefits within the European Economic Area and Switzerland to be in the region of 50 million per year by 2010-11.

Employment Services: Disabled

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of deaf and hard of hearing people who require effective text or other telephone relay services in order to obtain or retain employment; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of people with impaired speech who require effective text or other telephone relay services in order to obtain or retain employment; and if she will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: No such estimate has been made by this Department of the number of deaf and hard of hearing people or those with impaired speech who require text or other telephone relay services in order to obtain or retain employment.
	However, through Access to Work, the Department supports employers to ensure that effective text and other telephone relay services are provided where this is the most suitable means of support.

Employment Services: Disabled

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deaf and hard of hearing people had access to captioned telephone relay services through the Access to Work scheme in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: No breakdown of the number of deaf and hard of hearing people having access to captioned telephony relay services through the Access to Work scheme is collected by this Department.
	However, through Access to Work, the Department supports employers to ensure that captioned telephone relay services are provided where this is the most suitable means of support.

Employment Services: Disabled

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many sign language users had access to video relay services through the Access to Work scheme in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: No breakdown of the number of sign language users having access to video relay services through the Access to Work scheme is collected by this Department.
	However, through Access to Work, the Department supports employers to ensure that access to video relay services are provided where this is the most suitable means of support.

Foreign Workers

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 570W, on foreign workers, how many national insurance numbers were issued to adult  (a) non-UK EU nationals and  (b) non-EU nationals in each quarter between January 2004 and September 2007.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 3 November 2008,  Official Report, column 5W.

Future Jobs Fund

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to answer question 277276, on the Future Jobs Fund, tabled on 20 May 2009.

Jim Knight: The hon. Member's question was answered on 16 June 2009,  Official Report, column 163W.

Future Jobs Fund: Culture

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Future Jobs Fund in relation to jobs in culture and the creative industries.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 June 2009
	The Future Jobs Fund is an important new initiative announced in the Budget 2009 worth 1 billion to create 150,000 new jobs both for young people and individuals living in unemployment hotspots. We are inviting bids from a wide range of organisations and partnerships including those from the culture and creative industries to create valuable jobs that bring real benefits to individuals and their communities.
	The fund will be allocated following a competitive bidding process that opened on 13 May 2009. Initial bids from organisations and partnerships wanting to create jobs from October onwards should be submitted by 30 June 2009. After this date, bids will be assessed on a rolling basis with funding allocated around eight weeks before jobs are due to commence. We are unable to make any formal assessment at this stage given that we are yet to allocate any funding to potential employers.
	It is important that we help young people and those struggling to find work to move into jobs in growth sectors to prepare them to be a part of the economic recovery. The culture and creative industries will be vital to the United Kingdom's economic recovery and so we are keen that they play an important role in delivering jobs through the Future Jobs Fund. Officials from both the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have been working closely with representative bodies from these sectors to help them put together a strong bid to the fund.

Olympic Games 2012

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time equivalent members of staff in  (a) her Department and  (b) its associated public bodies are working on projects relating to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; how many of them are working on (i) project management, (ii) legacy planning, (iii) project oversight and (iv) financial oversight; and what plans she has for future staffing levels in each case.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  DWP 
			  Work area  FTE 
			 Project Management 0.1 
			 Legacy Planning 0.5 
			 Project Oversight 0.5 
			 Financial Oversight 0 
		
	
	DWP has recruited 0.6 FTE to support legacy planning and project oversight and has no plans to increase staffing levels in this area for the year 2009-10.
	
		
			  Jobcentre Plus 
			  Work  a rea  FTE 
			 Project Management 3.2 
			 Legacy Planning 1.2 
			 Project Oversight 0.6 
			 Financial Oversight 0 
		
	
	Current work-force plans for Jobcentre Plus extend to March 2010 over which period there is no increase expected.
	
		
			  Health and Safety Executive 
			  Work area  FTE 
			 Project Management  
			 Legacy Planning  
			 Project Oversight 3.5 
			 Financial Oversight  
		
	
	Inspection of the Olympic construction activities will be undertaken as an integral part of Construction Division's workload.
	 Office for Disability Issues
	The Office for Disability Issues has on a number of occasions provided advice and expertise to Ministers, other Government Departments and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games on disability issues relating to London 2012. It is not however, possible to quantify this in terms of staff numbers.

Pensioners: Economic Situation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance her Department is providing to pensioners adversely affected by the economic downturn.

Angela Eagle: The Government are continuing to support pensioners appropriately through the economic downturn. A 60 payment went to pensioners in early 2009, which took the total value of the Christmas bonus this year to 70.
	An additional payment alongside the winter fuel payment for winters 2008-09 and 2009-10 of 50 for households with someone aged 60 to 79 and 100 for those with someone aged 80 or over. This means the winter fuel payments will be 250 and 400 respectively which provides a significant contribution towards an older person's winter fuel bill.
	From April 2009 the pensioners on the lowest incomes saw the biggest increase to the pension credit standard minimum guarantee since it was introduced, taking the standard minimum guarantee to 130 a week for single people and 198.45 for couples.
	In order to help those pensioners who receive income from savings and who may have been affected by lower interest rates, the Government will be increasing the threshold in pension credit (and housing and council tax benefit for those who have attained the qualifying age for pension credit) from 6,000 to 10,000 from November 2009, so that pensioners can have up to 10,000 without it affecting their benefits.
	The Government have committed to maintain the standard interest rate used to calculate support for mortgage interest at 6.08 per cent. for a further six months until the end of December 2009, to provide continued support for homeowners on pension credit who receive help with their mortgage.
	The Government are also launching a tax back awareness campaign in autumn 2009 contacting all those in receipt of pension credit to encourage them to claim back tax they may have overpaid on their savings income and, where possible, register to receive interest on their savings tax-free in future.

Social Security Benefits: Disabled

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were claiming  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) disability living allowance when their primary health problem or condition was alcohol-related in each of the last 10 years; and how many such claimants were (i) under 18 years and (ii) over state pension age in each of those years.

Jonathan R Shaw: Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. Therefore, the medical condition recorded on the incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits. For example, the decision for a customer claiming incapacity benefit on the grounds of alcohol related conditions would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities in the personal capability assessment.
	The information for disability living allowance is not collated centrally.
	The available information for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance is in the table.
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants, by gender and age, with alcohol related disabling condition in each of the last 10 years 
			   All alcohol related  Aged under 18  Over pension age 
			 1999 33,760 20 40 
			 2000 36,750 20 20 
			 2001 39,390 10 20 
			 2002 41,910 20 20 
			 2003 44,210 20 20 
			 2004 46,660 20 20 
			 2005 48,390 30 20 
			 2006 49,870 30 20 
			 2007 52,090 20 20 
			 2008 53,980 20 30 
			  Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data are at August in each year. 3. State pension age is defined as age 60 or over for women and age 65 or over for men. 4. For the purposes of incapacity benefit only one diagnosis is recorded but an individual may have other conditions that contribute to their overall level of functional impairment.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 104W, on social security benefits: medical examinations, how many doctors were complained against under the heading of claimants' experiences.

Jonathan R Shaw: Of the 60 complaints received under the heading claimants' experiences, 41 involved Health Care Professionals. The term Health Care Professional covers both registered doctors and registered nurses who conduct medical examinations on behalf of the Department.

Vibration White Finger

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many coal miners have retired on medical advice having contracted vibration white finger in the last 30 years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The requested information is not available.

Woolworths: Redundancy

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many former Woolworths employees have been placed into new employment by Jobcentre Plus in each constituency;
	(2)  how many former Woolworths employees are claiming jobseeker's allowance in each parliamentary constituency.

Jim Knight: holding answer 11 June 2009
	The information requested is not available. Details of previous employers are not collated centrally.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to answer question 275954, tabled by the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire on 15 May 2009, on 0845 telephone numbers.

Jim Knight: holding answer 4 June 2009
	 The hon. Member's question was answered on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 49W.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people began apprenticeships under the apprenticeship programme for 16-to-18 year olds in  (a) North West Cambridgeshire,  (b) Cambridgeshire,  (c) the East of England and  (d) England in each year since the scheme was introduced.

Si�n Simon: The table shows the number of 16 to 18-year-olds starting an apprenticeship in North West Cambridgeshire parliamentary constituency, Cambridgeshire local authority, the East of England region and England for 2003/04 onwards, the earliest year for which we have comparable data.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship starts for 16 to 18-year-olds 
			   2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			 NW Cambridgeshire 230 230 170 210 200 
			 Cambridgeshire 900 1,100 900 1,000 1,000 
			 East of England 9,500 10,100 8,500 9,100 9,800 
			 England 107,500 112,600 99,000 105,100 107,000 
			  Notes: 1. Area is based on home postcode of learner. 2. Figures for parliamentary constituency have been rounded to the nearest 10. All other figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding. 3. Figures for England include those learners with missing postcodes, and home postcodes outside of England.  Source: WBL ILR 
		
	
	The Government are committed to rebuilding apprenticeships. Since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08.
	Completion rates are also at a record high with 64 per cent. successfully completing an apprenticeshipup from 37 per cent. in 2004/05.

Apprentices: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people commenced level 2 apprenticeships in  (a) Crosby,  (b) Sefton and  (c) Merseyside in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: Table 1 shows the number of Level 2 apprenticeship starts in Crosby parliamentary constituency, and the five local authorities (including Sefton), which make up the metropolitan county of Merseyside.
	
		
			  Table 1: Level 2 Apprenticeship starts 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Crosby 190 210 160 200 180 
			 Knowsley 700 800 600 600 700 
			 Liverpool 1,600 1,800 1,500 1,800 2,000 
			 Sefton 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,100 1,000 
			 St. Helens 600 700 500 500 600 
			 Wirral 1,300 1,500 1,200 1,100 1,300 
			 Merseyside 5,200 5,700 4,700 5,100 5,700 
			  Notes:  1. Parliamentary constituency volumes are rounded to the nearest ten and local authority figures to the nearest hundred. Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.  2. Local authority and parliamentary constituency are based upon the home postcode of the learner.  3. Programme-led apprenticeships recorded in WBL ILR returns are included in the above figures.   Source:  WBL ILR. 
		
	
	The Government are committed to rebuilding apprenticeships. Since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007-08. Completion rates are also at a record high with 64 per cent. successfully completing an apprenticeshipup from 37 per cent. in 2004-05.

Basic Skills: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what basic numeracy and literacy courses there are for adults in Coventry.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 30 April 2009
	Numeracy and literacy courses are available across the country. Information on the number of different courses funded in a given year is not collected. FE colleges and providers are given indicative budgets based on the expected delivery of an overall volume of learning. The actual numbers and types of courses delivered by a college or provider will depend on demand.
	Literacy and numeracy courses are available in Coventry at different times and venues across the city. This includes embedded provision, whereby learners can develop their literacy and numeracy as part of vocational courses. Learners achieve nationally recognised Skills for Life qualifications in literacy and numeracy and all levels of need are accommodated. Progression to the next level of qualification and to employment where appropriate is supported at all stages.
	Bespoke courses for particular groups of learners are delivered by the organisations detailed as follows, including those specifically for; adults seeking employability skills, adults with learning difficulties, offenders on community provision, and family learning opportunities.
	City College Coventryoffers embedded delivery across many vocational areas, including; Skills for Life for Construction, ICT, Food Hygiene, Health and Safety, and retail.
	Coventry City CouncilAdult and Community LearningDelivery across many outreach centres throughout the City, with a particular focus on Offenders and Family learning opportunities.
	Henley College Coventrydelivers embedded courses across a wide vocational spectrum, with a particular focus on Hospitality and ICT.
	JHP CoventryOffers a choice of embedded delivery in vocational areas, and assists unemployed adults to gain employment via the Employability Skills Programme.
	The Statistical First Release (SFR) Post-16 Education: Learner Participation, Outcomes and Level of Highest Qualification Held (March 2009) provides information on the number of LSC-funded learners participating on Skills for Life Courses; the SFR can be found at the following link:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/sfrmar09
	Table 1 following shows the number of learners participating on Skills for Life literacy and numeracy courses by age group in Coventry local authority in 2007/08.
	
		
			  Table 1: Skills for life literacy and numeracy participation by age in Coventry local authority, 2007/08 
			   16 to 18  19+  Total 
			 Literacy 2,700 3,800 6,500 
			 Numeracy 2,800 3,300 6,100 
			  Notes: 1. Volumes are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. These figures include FE (including learndirect), WBL (including apprenticeships, Train to Gain and Entry to Employment) and Safeguarded Adult Learning. 3. This table uses learner volumes as a measure for comparative purposes. Learners participating in more than one type of course will be counted for each course type they are participating in e.g. a learner participating in literacy and numeracy courses in an FE college will be counted in both of these figures. However, learners that are included in different data collections e.g. FE and TtG, whether that relates to different years or different funding streams, will be counted once for each data collection. 4. Age is calculated based on age as at 31 August of the academic year. 5. Local authority has been based upon learner's home postcode.

Building Colleges for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many colleges at the feasibility stage of preparing for Building Colleges for the Future had not submitted  (a) an application in principle and  (b) an application in detail; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Capital funding for further education colleges is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). As the information requested is with regard to an operational matter for the council, I have asked Geoffrey Russell, the acting LSC chief executive, to write to the hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in the House Libraries.

Building Colleges for the Future Programme

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the costs of each Building Colleges for the Future project has been met by a grant from the Learning and Skills Council since the programme's inception.

Kevin Brennan: Capital funding for further education colleges is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). As the information requested pertains to records held by the council, I have asked Geoffrey Russell, the acting LSC chief executive, to write to my hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in both the Libraries of the House.

Business Growth

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to stimulate business growth in super output areas with high levels of deprivation.

Rosie Winterton: The Department works closely with Her Majesty's Treasury, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department of Work and Pensions, regional development agencies (RDAs) and with local authorities and others to stimulate business growth in local areas with relatively high levels of deprivation.
	HMT, BIS and CLG jointly sponsor, and CLG manages, the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI). LEGI has been allocated 296 million over the 2008/09 to 2010/11 spending period, for targeted enterprise growth in deprived parts of 26 local authority areas. Local LEGI programmes can target very small local areas experiencing high deprivation.
	Jointly with DWP, CLG sponsors the Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF), which provides 1.5 billion investment over the 2008/09 to 2010/11 period to tackle worklessness in deprived areas. One of the uses of WNF is encouragement of enterprise growth to benefit people in deprived areas.
	CLG works closely with RDAs and with Business Link to help ensure that the needs of deprived areas are addressed in their work. Business Link offers a suite of business support products under the 'Solutions for Business' portfolio.

Departmental Data Protection

James Brokenshire: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been (i) disciplined and (ii) dismissed for (A) breaches of data protection requirements and (B) inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data in the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: None.

Departmental Reorganisation

John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects the  (a) allocation of responsibilities to (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in his Department and  (b) the administrative changes in his Department consequent on the recent machinery of Government changes to have been completed.

Patrick McFadden: The allocation of responsibilities to Ministers and officials is complete. Administrative changes will be completed as soon as practicable.

Further Education

George Young: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's contribution to the Westminster Hall debate on building colleges for the future,  Official Report, column 121WH, of 25 March 2009, to which hon. Members the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has written with an invitation to discuss the matters in detail.

Kevin Brennan: On the 16 January, my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Further Education wrote to 105 Memberslisted as follows. The letter was targeted at those Members who had colleges in their constituencies that we were aware were affected by the position of the Further Education capital programme. The letter included an offer to meet with any Members who had concerns regarding further education colleges in their own constituencies.
	Prior to 4 March and the Learning and Skills Council national Council meeting, my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Further Education had been in correspondence with 58 Members regarding the position of the Further Education capital programme. On 6 March, following the national Council meeting, my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Further Education wrote to each of the Members, updating them on the latest capital funding position, and again offering to meet with Members who had concerns regarding their own colleges.
	A list of those 58 Members will be placed in the House Libraries.
	 MPs
	 16 January distribution list
	David Heyes
	Eric Illsley
	John Mann
	Frank Field
	Gordon Marsden
	Dr. Brian Iddon
	Mark Simmonds
	Marsha Singh
	Ann Keen
	David Lepper
	Eric Martlew
	Martin Harwood
	Andrew Tyrie
	Christine Russell
	Roberta Blackman-Woods
	Bob Russell
	Richard Ottaway
	Alan Milburn
	Michael Mates
	Stephen O'Brien
	Ben Bradshaw
	Austin Mitchell
	Sylvia Heal
	Iain Wright
	David Willetts
	Andrew Stunell
	John Howell
	Mark Prisk
	Peter Atkinson
	Jonathan Djanogly
	Andrew Turner
	Philip Hollobone
	Ben Wallace
	Jane Kennedy
	Ian McCartney
	Alan Meale
	Dr. Julian Lewis
	Norman Lamb
	Henry Bellingham
	Sally Keeble
	Charles Clarke
	Alan Simpson
	Dr. Evan Harris
	Stewart Jackson
	Mike Hancock
	Mark Hendrick
	Nigel Evans
	Susan Kramer
	Philip Hammond
	Lorely Burt
	Stephen Ladyman
	Dr. John Pugh
	Shaun Woodward
	Ms Dari Taylor
	Mark Fisher
	Lynda Waltho
	John Maples
	Andrew Mitchell
	Jeremy Browne
	Mark Pritchard
	Sir John Stanley
	Adrian Sanders
	Dr. Vincent Cable
	David Clelland
	Mary Creagh
	Denis Murphy
	John Spellar
	David Heathcoat-Amory
	Rosie Cooper
	Tim Farron
	Dr. Richard Taylor
	Ian Cawsey
	Nadine Dorries
	Ian Gibson
	Bob Spink
	Ian Stewart
	Graham Stringer
	Desmond Turner
	Rob Wilson
	Derek Wyatt
	Meg Munn
	Dr. Hywel Francis
	Judy Mallaber
	Damian Green
	Tim Loughton
	Doug Henderson
	Paul Holmes
	Michael Foster
	Khalid Mahmood
	Angela C. Smith
	Janet Dean
	Joan Walley
	Tim Boswell
	Alistair Burt
	Laurence Robertson
	John Penrose
	Annette Brooke
	Dawn Butler
	Douglas Carwell
	John Heppell
	Sharon Hodgson
	Paul Holmes
	Andy Slaughter
	Edward Timpson
	Graham Allen
	Total: 105
	 6 March distribution list:
	Tony Lloyd MP
	Stephen Hepburn MP
	Stephen Haughton MP
	Shona McIsaac MP
	Sahid Malik MP
	Rt. Hon. Jack Straw MP
	Rt. Hon. George Howarth MP
	Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson MP
	Robert Key MP
	Phil Hope MP
	Paul Rowan MP
	Mike Hall MP
	Michael Foster MP
	Michael Clapham MP
	Mary Creagh MP
	Mark Hoban MP
	Jonathan Djanogly MP
	John Mann MP
	John Hayes MP
	Jim Dobbin MP
	Jeff Ennis MP
	Janet Anderson MP
	Ian Cawsey MP
	Ian Austin MP
	Gordon Marsden MP
	Frank Dobson MP
	Eric Illsley MP
	Dr. Richard Taylor MP
	Dr. Howard Stoate MP
	Don Foster MP
	Derek Twigg MP
	Denis MacShane MP
	Dawn Butler MP
	David Wright MP
	David Kidney MP
	Dave Watts MP
	Christine Russell MP
	Celia Barlow MP
	Ben Chapman MP
	Ben Bradshaw MP
	Barry Sheerman MP
	Austin Mitchell MP
	Anne Snelgrove MP
	Alison Seabeck MP
	Adrian Sanders MP
	Rt. Hon. John Hutton MP
	Nick Harvey MP
	Mark Field MP
	Malcolm Moss MP
	Eric Martlew MP
	Eleanor Laing MP
	David Borrow MP
	Dari Taylor MP
	Austin Mitchell MP
	Dr. Tony Wright MP
	Rt. Hon. Andrew Smith MP
	Joan Humble MP
	Alan Keen MP
	Total: 58

Higher Education: Admissions

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2009,  Official Report, column 580W, on higher education: admissions, what information his Department holds on household incomes of those domiciled in the UK who are  (a) university applicants and  (b) undergraduate students.

David Lammy: University applicants are not required to provide details of their household income. However, if undergraduate students apply for means-tested student finance they are required to submit household income details. Complete information on household incomes is not held because some apply for non means-tested support, and household income details are not required for such products.

Higher Education: Admissions

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what percentage of young people living in  (a) Tameside and  (b) Stockport entered university in each of the last 10 years.

David Lammy: The latest information on the number of young undergraduate entrants from Tameside and Stockport local authorities is shown in the table. Figures for the 2008/09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
	
		
			  Young( 1)  undergraduate entrants( 2)  from Tameside and Stockport local authorities( 3) UK higher education institutions( 4) , academic years 1998/99 to 2007/08 
			  Academic year  Stockport  Tameside 
			 1998/99 1,300 570 
			 1999/00 1,370 660 
			 2000/01 1,285 675 
			 2001/02 1,380 695 
			 2002/03 1,450 735 
			 2003/04 1,385 760 
			 2004/05 1,475 765 
			 2005/06 1,580 865 
			 2006/07 1,495 790 
			 2007/08 1,480 785 
			 (1 )Young refers to entrants aged under 21.  (2) Covers entrants to both full-time and part-time courses.  (3) Local authority is derived from postcode as recorded on the HESA student record. Those with missing or invalid postcodes will be coded as missing.  (4) Excludes the Open University due to inconsistencies in their coding of entrants across the time series.   Notes:  1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December to provide consistency across the time series. 2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	It is not possible to calculate what proportion of young people from Tameside and Stockport local authorities began an undergraduate course at a UK higher education institution in recent years. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published Young participation in higher education in January 2005, which is available from the HEFCE website at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/
	The HEFCE report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19 disaggregated by local education authority (LEA) for the years 1997 to 2000.
	At national level, the Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) covers English-domiciled 17 to 30-year-old first-time entrants to higher education courses, at UK higher education institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh further education colleges, who remain on their course for at least six months. The latest available figure is 43.3 per cent. in 2007/08. For young people (aged 17-20), the figure is 34.2 per cent.

Higher Education: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding his Department plans to provide to universities in Coventry for research in  (a) medicine,  (b) history,  (c) English and  (d) modern foreign languages in 2009-10.

David Lammy: HEFCE block grant research funding allocations for 2009-10 for the university of Coventry and university of Warwick are shown in the tables that follow. These show allocations of funding awarded in relation to each unit of assessment submitted at the last Research Assessment Exercise. Once calculated, the funding is awarded as a block grant and Higher Education Institutions have the freedom to choose where to invest this fundingand need not spend it in the disciplines that earned it.
	In addition, BIS funds research through the research councils. These largely fund on the basis of competitively selecting projects through peer review.
	
		
			  HEFCE research funding for the university of Warwick for 2009-10 
			  Unit of assessment  HEFCE research funding for 2009-10 () 
			 4 Other Hospital Based Clinical Subjects 1,087,016 
			 7 Health Services Research 1,206,826 
			 14 Biological Sciences 2,683,369 
			 16 Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science 1,569,670 
			 18 Chemistry 1,858,866 
			 19 Physics 2,187,013 
			 20 Pure Mathematics 1,324,095 
			 21 Applied Mathematics 1,220,972 
			 22 Statistics and Operational Research 996,912 
			 23 Computer Science and Informatics 978,352 
			 25 General Engineering and Mineral and Mining Engineering 3,348,681 
			 34 Economics and Econometrics 1,546,661 
			 36 Business and Management Studies 3,176,974 
			 38 Law 718,560 
			 39 Politics and International Studies 734,216 
			 40 Social Work and Social Policy and Administration 542,639 
			 41 Sociology 870,509 
			 44 Psychology 489,549 
			 45 Education 938,453 
			 52 French 291,060 
			 53 German, Dutch and Scandinavian Languages 128,388 
			 54 Italian 174,491 
			 57 English Language and Literature 936,679 
			 59 Classics, Ancient History, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies 324,185 
			 60 Philosophy 452,787 
			 62 History 1,068,101 
			 64 History of Art, Architecture and Design 201,491 
			 65 Drama, Dance and Performing Arts 952,815 
			 Total QR attributable to subjects 32,009,330 
			   
			 QR business research element 623,853 
			 QR for national research libraries 0 
			   
			 Total research funding 32,633,183 
		
	
	
		
			  HEFCE research funding for Coventry university for 2009-10 
			  Unit of assessment  HEFCE  r esearch funding for 2009-10 () 
			 12 Allied Health Professions and Studies 258,657 
			 21 Applied Mathematics 113,827 
			 23 Computer Science and Informatics 203,036 
			 24 Electrical and Electronic Engineering 104,555 
			 28 Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering 138,541 
			 29 Metallurgy and Materials 141,732 
			 31 Town and Country Planning 75,516 
			 36 Business and Management Studies 56,097 
			 37 Library and Information Management 68,229 
			 38 Law 27,627 
			 39 Politics and International Studies 95,390 
			 40 Social Work and Social Policy and Administration 57,473 
			 44 Psychology 7,462 
			 45 Education 94,441 
			 46 Sports-Related Studies 67,440 
			 63 Art and Design 512,620 
			 Total QR attributable to subjects 2,022,643 
			   
			 QR business research element 83,634 
			 QR for national research libraries 0 
			   
			 Total research funding 2,106,277

Higher Education: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of 18 to 25-year-olds resident in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point was in higher education (i) in 1997 and (ii) on the latest date for which information is available.

David Lammy: The Government do not collect data on the number of adults resident in a particular area who are not in higher education, so it is not possible to calculate the proportion of 18 to 25-year-olds from Essex local authority and Castle Point constituency who were in higher education in 1997 and the latest date for which information is available.
	The numbers of 18 to 25-year-old students from Essex and Castle Point who were enrolled in higher education are shown as an alternative in the table. Figures for the 2008-09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
	
		
			  18-25 year old Enrolments( 1)  from Essex  local authority( 2)  and Castle Point  parliamentary constituency( 2)( : ) UK higher education institutions academic years 1997-98 and 2007-08 
			   1997-98  2007-08 
			 Essex 16,040 21,290 
			 Castle Point 840 1,100 
			 (1) Covers undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled on full-time and part-time courses. (2) Local authority and parliamentary constituency are defined by full and valid home postcodes recorded on the HESA student record.  Notes:  Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest five.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Members: Correspondence

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter of 19 May 2009 from the hon. Member for Castle Point, on his constituent, Mrs Hilton.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 12 June 2009
	I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding, this is unacceptable and the hon. Member will receive a response shortly.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Technology plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 15 April 2009, on broadband for pensioners.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 12 June 2009
	My colleague the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Broadcasting and Technology responded to the hon. Member on 11 June. I apologise for the delay which was caused by the current high volumes of correspondence.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Business plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 21 April 2009, on Royal Worcester porcelain.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 12 June 2009
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Economic Competitiveness, Small Business and Enterprise apologises for the delay in responding. This is unacceptable and the hon. Member will receive a response shortly

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 7 May 2009 on BWB Consulting Ltd.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 15 June 2009
	 I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding. This is unacceptable and we will respond shortly.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to respond to the hon. Member for Billericay's letter of 21 April 2009 on Visteon, transferred to his Department by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 16 June 2009
	I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding. My hon. Friend the Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform will respond shortly.

Minimum Wage: Telephone Services

David Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish the tender document for the contract for the national minimum wage helpline.

Patrick McFadden: The helpline serviceknown as the Pay and Work Rights linewas procured using the COI's Framework Agreement for Direct and Relationship Marketing Services. COI issued the invitation to tender to run the service to selected companies on its roster of pre-qualified helpline providers. The COI regards the tender documentation as commercially confidential.

Overseas Students: Russia

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many Russian nationals were enrolled on  (a) undergraduate and  (b) postgraduate courses at educational institutions in (i) London and (ii) England at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The latest information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is shown in the table. Figures for the 2008/09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
	
		
			  Russian national enrolments by Government office region of institutionEnglish higher education institutionsacademic year 2007/08 
			  Level of study  English HEIs  Of which: London HEIs 
			 Postgraduate 1,235 530 
			 Undergraduate 2,265 1,015 
			  Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Research Councils: Finance

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much in  (a) compensation for foreign exchange exposure,  (b) loans and  (c) other funding his Department has provided for the research councils in addition to the allocations in the 2007 science budget.

David Lammy: holding answer 12 June 2009
	 The CSR 2007 allocations to the Research Councils' out of the science and research budget were published in December 2007. Since then there have been additions to the Research Councils' allocations as set out as follows.
	
		
			  (a)  Table 1:  Additional funding to Research Councils in respect of the extra costs of international subscriptions arising from exchange rate changes 
			   Total (000) 
			 2008-09 21,061 
			 2009-10 50,800 
		
	
	
		
			  (b )  Table 2: Temporary loans to Research Councils 
			   Total (000) 
			 2008-09 26,200 
			 2009-10 19,900 
			  Note: The loans were made on the condition that they are repaid by the end of CSR 2007. 
		
	
	
		
			  (c) Table 3: Other funding  additional capital allocations to Research Councils in  respect of approved new large facilities projects 
			   Total (000) 
			 2008-09 52,555 
			 2009-10 89,360

Vocational Training

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many under 25-year-olds will receive  (a) jobs and  (b) training in the logistics sector under the scheme announced in the Budget 2009;
	(2)  how many under 25-year-olds will receive  (a) jobs and  (b) training under the scheme announced in the Budget 2009.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	Under the scheme announced in the Budget, every young person will be offered up to six months work, training or work experience.
	We anticipate creating up to 150,000 new jobs through the Future Jobs Fund, providing at least 100,000 jobs for young people and a significant proportion in areas of high unemployment.
	As well as the Jobs Fund, Jobcentre Plus will work with growth sectors to help up to 100,000 long-term unemployed young people access existing jobs in key employment sectors.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Learning and Skills Council will be able to offer more than 80,000 training places for young adults who have been unemployed for more than 12 months. We are not yet in a position to be able to predict which sectors jobs and training will be in.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Leader of the House how many breaches of information security there have been in her Office in the last five years.

Barbara Keeley: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that will be given by the Cabinet Office.
	The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons joined the Cabinet Office in 2007. It would not be possible to provide information prior to 2007 without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Members: Misconduct

David Drew: To ask the Leader of the House if she will bring forward proposals to provide for  (a) (i) the suspension from the House and (ii) the dismissal from the House of hon. Members found to have committed serious misdemeanours and  (b) a vote in the constituencies of such hon. Members to determine whether they should keep their seats in such cases; and if she will make a statement.

Barbara Keeley: The Government will bring forward proposals for a new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority soon.

Public Consultations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Leader of the House how many public consultations have been conducted by her Office since 27 June 2007; what the title of each has been; how many responses to each consultation were received; and what estimate has been made of the total cost incurred for each consultation.

Barbara Keeley: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons has conducted two public consultations since 27 June 2007.
	A consultation on The Governance of BritainThe Government's Draft Legislative Programme began in July 2007. Around 250 individuals, representing a wide variety of organisations and stakeholders, attended a number of events around the country as part of this consultation. The main consultation event was a public engagement led by Ipsos Mori that cost 54,946.06. Responses to the consultation were also received in both letter and e-mail format. Figures are not available on the cost of publication.
	The second public consultation began in May 2008 and was entitled Preparing Britain for the FutureThe Government's Draft Legislative Programme which cost 32,035 to publish. The cost of the consultation exercise for this programme was 30,922.38.
	This programme received the views of around 2,000 people and organisations. These comprised 751 responses to the Leader of the House of Commons' website, at least 1,200 people and organisations who participated in the 58 regional events and 44 individuals and 58 organisations who responded by post.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants: Foreign Workers

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many foreign nationals were employed in the civil service in accordance with a Ministerial certificate under the Aliens Employment Act 1955 in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09; how many of these were employed by the Ministry of Defence in each such year; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The total number of non-UK nationals employed under cover of an Aliens' Certificate during 2007-08 was 82, with 69 being the final year-end figure.
	Of the 82 certificates in force throughout the year, 55 were issued by the Ministry of Defence with 51 being the year-end figure.
	The figures for 2008-09 are not yet available.

Civil Servants: Merseyside

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Civil Service jobs were  (a) created and  (b) abolished on Merseyside in each year since 2003-04.

Angela Smith: Cabinet Office does not hold data centrally on civil service jobs created and abolished on Merseyside in each year since 2003-04.

Civil Servants: Political Impartiality

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Cabinet Office has issued guidance to Government Departments and non-departmental public bodies on whether recognised trade unions with political funds should inform staff of their right to opt out of the political levy.

Angela Smith: This is a matter for the trade unions.

Civil Servants: Vacancies

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1057W, on civil servants: vacancies, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Protocol on Handling Surplus Staff.

Angela Smith: A copy of the Protocol on Handling Surplus Staff is available on the civil service website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/Assets/strengthening_protocols_tcm6-2846.doc
	Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Civil Service: Recruitment

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what percentage of civil service posts are reserved posts for UK nationals as public service posts.

Angela Smith: A figure is not held centrally. Approximately 5 per cent. of civil service posts are reserved for UK nationals under the criteria specified on the face of the European Communities (Employment in the Civil Service) Order 2007.

Community Assets Programme

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many community assets have been transferred into local community ownership under the 30 million community assets fund scheme; and how many she expects to be transferred by 2011.

Angela Smith: 34 third sector organisations have received a full grant award to date and are working in partnership with their local authority to refurbish or extend community buildings with a grant from the Community Assets Programme. Many of these have already started building or renovation work.
	Depending on the contractual agreement between the third sector organisation and local authority, transfer of the asset occurs either prior to start of works, or on completion of works to the building. A further four projects currently have an in-principle grant. This means that we expect a total of 38 buildings to have been transformed and transferred from local authority to community ownership from now until 2011.

Death: Dengue Fever

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths of residents of  (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency,  (b) Teesside,  (c) the North East and  (d) the UK have been attributed to dengue fever in the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths of residents of  (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency,  (b) Teesside,  (c) the North East and  (d) the UK have been attributed to dengue fever in the last 10 years. (280699)
	There were no deaths with an underlying cause of dengue fever registered in the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2008 (the latest year available).(1, 2, 3)
	(1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 061 (Dengue) and 065.4 (haemorrhagic fever caused by Dengue virus) for 1999 to 2000 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and for 1999 for Scotland, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes A90 (Dengue fever) and A91 (Dengue haemorrhagic fever) for 2001 onwards for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for 2000 onwards for Scotland.
	(2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Deaths are not all registered in the year they happen. For example, deaths subject to inquest are not normally registered until the inquest is completed, after which the coroner sends a certificate to the registrar.
	(3) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional.

Departmental Cleaning Services

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which organisations provided cleaning services to the Cabinet Office in each of the last three years; and what the cost of each such contract was in each such year.

Angela Smith: EcovertFM provide the cleaning services as part of a Total FM package for the Cabinet Office and Carillion provide the cleaning services as part of a Total FM package for the emergency planning college at Easingwold, York.
	The information requested therefore can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Dismissal

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many members of staff in 10 Downing Street were dismissed  (a) for under-performance and  (b) in total in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The Prime Minister's Office is part of the Cabinet Office.
	In 2003 the Cabinet Office dismissed a total of six people including five people for poor performance. It is the Cabinet Office's policy not to report information which may identify individuals, and therefore the data for 2000-02 and 2004-09 have been withheld.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how much  (a) electricity and  (b) gas was used (i) on the Cabinet Office estate and (ii) by the Cabinet Office's agency in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09;
	(2)  how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for the Cabinet Office estate in each year from 2004 to 2009; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of that expenditure; and what plans she has for future energy efficiency measures;
	(3)  which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of the Cabinet Office's estate.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office central London estate and including the Emergency Planning College (York), has consumed the following amount of gas and electricity on its estate.
	
		
			  kWh 
			   Electricity  Gas 
			 2004-05 10,992,730 (1) 
			 2005-06 11,388,625 3,559,000 
			 2006-07 11,125,531 4,394,090 
			 2007-08 10,222,068 2,966,949 
			 (1) No accurate data available 
		
	
	The Cabinet Office has participated in the Carbon Trust Carbon Management programme for buildings where it has an influence or control over. It has developed an ongoing action plan which includes projects such as installing lighting controls and improving insulation.
	For the period 2007-08 the Department spent 37,164. The energy efficiency measures are not separately identifiable for 2004-06 and are only partially available for the year 2007. Figures for 2008-09 are still subject to audit and will be available once the Department's 2008-09 accounts have been published; this is expected early July.
	Any major refurbishments or new build which the Cabinet Office undertakes will endeavour to meet Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method excellent standard wherever possible in the context of the historic listed nature of much of the Department's estate.
	Two of the Department's key buildings are currently undergoing modernisation projects. New sustainability measures such as: plans to replace the old boilers and heat-exchange calorifiers with more efficient plant, additional intelligent lighting systems and improvements to thermal insulation. Not all of these have full financial approval yet and other sustainability measures will be considered and incorporated as part of these works, should the funding be made available.
	There are also plans to install voltage reduction equipment installed into four other buildings. Assessment of individual efficiency measures are made whenever it is possible to do so.
	The senior official with responsibility for sustainable development is the director of financial and estate management.

Departmental Energy

James Paice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of water consumption on her Department's office estate in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions from offices in her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the energy consumed per full-time equivalent member of staff in her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08;
	(4)  what estimate she has made of the percentage of electricity used by her Department which was derived from renewable sources in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08;
	(5)  what estimate she has made of the amount of waste arising from her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;
	(6)  what  (a) volume and  (b) percentage of waste her Department recycled in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08;
	(7)  what estimate she has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport used for administrative operations by her Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff;

Angela Smith: The information requested by the hon. Member for South East Cambridgeshire is presented in the following table. This information is also available in the annual Sustainable Development in Government Report published by the Sustainable Development Commission, found on their website:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/sustainable-development-in-government-sdig.html
	
		
			   2006-07 total  2007-08 total  2006-07 per FTE  2007-08 per FTE 
			 Water consumption (m3) 47,997.0 56,054.0 18.4 14.2 
			 Total waste arising (tonnes) 1,050.0 1,129.0 0.4 0.3 
			 Waste recycled (tonnes) 712.0 741.5 0.3 0.2 
			 Waste recycled (percentage) 67.8 65.7   
			 Energy consumption (kW/h) 21,815,717 21,102,455 8,364.9 5,341.0 
			 Energy from renewables (percentage) 55.5 43.9   
			 Carbon from offices (tonnes) 7,523.0 8,456.0 2.9 2.1 
			 Carbon from road vehicles (tonnes) (1) 34.6 (1) 0.009 
			 Carbon from air travel (tonnes) 4,166.7 4,352.1 1.6 1.1 
			 (1) Not known.

Departmental Lost Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many laptop computers belonging to  (a) her Department and  (b) its agency have been lost or stolen in the last five years.

Angela Smith: During the period 2004 to 2008 (inclusive), the Cabinet Office lost or had stolen 13 officially provided laptop computers. No classified material was held on any of that equipment
	The Cabinet Office is not responsible for any Executive Agencies.

Departmental Public Appointments

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what information her Department holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in bodies for which her Department has responsibility in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry;
	(2)  what information the Cabinet Office holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in the Prime Minister's Office in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not held centrally and therefore can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Television

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many plasma screen televisions there are in the Prime Minister's office in No. 12 Downing Street; and how much each of these cost to purchase.

Angela Smith: There are two plasma screen televisions in No. 12 Downing street; both were already in situ in the Prime Minister's Office, therefore no addition costs were incurred.

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what training courses have been attended by special advisers in her Department in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Angela Smith: Special advisers receive training as appropriate to enable them to fulfil their duties and responsibilities as set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of  (a) UK nationals,  (b) UK-born people,  (c) foreign nationals,  (d) non-UK EU nationals,  (e) EU A8 nationals and  (f) non-EU nationals of working age in the UK were in employment in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of (a) UK nationals, (b) UK born people, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals, (e) EU A8 nationals and (f) non-EU nationals of working age in the UK were in employment in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available. (280798)
	The information requested is shown in the attached table. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. This is assessed in a footnote to the table.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics Statistical Bulletin, or the migrant worker figures published every quarter, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for working age( 1)  people, by nationality and country of birththree months ending March, June, September and December, 2007 to 2008 United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand and percentage 
			   UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK nationals( 2)  Non-UK EU nationals  EU A8 nationals( 3)  Non-E U  nationals 
			   Number  Rate (%)  Number  Rate (%)  Number  Rate (%)  Number  Rate (%)  Number  Rate (%)  Number  Rate (%) 
			 2007 Q2 25,784 75 24,508 75 2,103 68 969 77 431 82 1,134 62 
			 2007 Q3 26,023 75 24,694 76 2,113 69 969 78 430 84 1,144 62 
			 2007 Q4 26,050 76 24,718 78 2,173 68 1,010 79 469 84 1,163 61 
			  
			 2008 Q1 25,870 75 24,547 75 2,254 69 1,068 79 500 83 1,186 62 
			 2008 Q2 25,882 75 24,532 75 2,266 69 1,065 79 498 84 1,201 62 
			 2008 Q3 25,928 75 24,580 76 2,279 69 1,045 79 504 84 1,234 63 
			 2008 Q4 25,749 75 24,372 75 2,342 69 1,052 77 470 81 1,290 63 
			 2009 Q1(4) *25,454 74 *24,067 74 *2,313 69 *1,097 78 **500 83 *1,215 62 
			 (1) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (2) Excludes those whose nationality was not known. (3) EU A8 comprises Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. (4) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites, etc.).  Source: Labour Force Survey

Employment Tribunals Service

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many actions under employment law have been brought against her Department in respect of  (a) the Prime Minister's Office,  (b) the Office of the Leader of the House and  (c) her Department in each of the last three years; how many such actions were brought under each category of action; and how many such actions were contested by her Department at an employment tribunal.

Angela Smith: The Prime Minister's Office and the Leader's Office are part of the Cabinet Office.
	During the last three financial years fewer than five employment law actions have been brought against the Department. It is Cabinet Office policy not to report information which may identify individuals. Detailed information on the categories of action and contested cases is therefore withheld.

Employment: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many people resident in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point were unemployed for a period in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people resident in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point were in employment for a period in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what the average unemployment rate among the working age population in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point was in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many  (a) males,  (b) females and  (c) single parents were (i) in employment and (ii) unemployed for a period in (A) Essex and (B) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people resident in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point were unemployed for a period in each of the last five years; how many people resident in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point were in employment in each of the last five years; what the average unemployment rate among the working age population in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point was in each of the last five years; and how many (a) males, (b) females and (c) single parents were in (i) in employment and (ii) unemployed for a period in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years. (281320, 281321, 281322  281323)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles labour market statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LPS). Estimates of total unemployment for unitary and local authorities are produced from a statistical model, following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1 shows the number of people aged 16 and over, resident in Essex and Castle Point, who were unemployed for a period in each of the last five years. The estimates for Essex have been compiled from the APS, estimates for Castle Point are compiled from model based estimates.
	Table 2 shows the number of people aged 16 and over, resident in the requested geographies who were employed in each of the last five years. The estimates have been compiled from the APS.
	Unemployment rates are calculated as the number of unemployed people 16+ as a percentage of the economically active population rather than as a percentage of the working age population. Table 3 shows the unemployment rates of people resident in the requested geographies, in each of the last five years, consistent with these definitions. Unemployment rates for Essex have been compiled from the APS and are based on the percentage of the economically active population. Estimates for Castle Point are compiled from Model based estimates.
	Table 4 shows the number of lone parents below state pension age with dependent children in employment and unemployed in the requested geographies for the calendar years 2004 to 2007.
	Estimates are derived from the APS household datasets and are only available for January to December for the years 2004 to 2007.
	Table 5 shows the number males and females aged 16 and over resident in the requested geographies who were employed in each of the last five years.
	Table 6 shows the number of males and females aged 16 and over resident in the requested geographies unemployed in each of the last five years. The estimates in Tables 56 have been compiled from the APS.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment and unemployment are available from the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons unemployed( 1)  resident in Essex and Castle Point in each of the last five years 
			  Thousand 
			  12 month period  Essex  Castle Point( 2) 
			 January to December 2004 26 1 
			 January to December 2005 28 2 
			 January to December 2006 25 2 
			 January to December 2007 32 2 
			 October 2007 to September 2008 ***31 ***2 
			 '' = Data is unreliable for practical purposes. (1) Levels of unemployment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Model Based Estimates. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  K ey  Coefficient of Variation (CV) (percentage) * 0 = CV 5 ** 5 = CV 10 *** 10 = CV 20 **** CV = 20  Source: Annual Population Surveys Model Based Estimates 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of persons employed( 1)  resident in Essex and Castle Point in each of the last five years 
			  Thousand 
			  12 month period  Essex  Castle Point 
			 January to December 2004 656 44 
			 January to December 2005 668 43 
			 January to December 2006 666 42 
			 January to December 2007 673 44 
			 October 2007 to September 2008(2) *680 **41 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  KEY Statistical Robustness * Estimates are considered precise. ** Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** Estimates are considered acceptable. **** Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Unemployment rates( 1)  for people resident in Essex and Castle Point for each of the last five years 
			  Percentage 
			  12 month period  Essex  Castle Point( 2) 
			 January to December 2004 3.8 3.2 
			 January to December 2005 4.0 3.6 
			 January to December 2006 3.6 3.9 
			 January to December 2007 4.5 3.5 
			 October 2007 to September 2008 4.3 4.1 
			 (1) Number of unemployed people 16+ as a percentage of the economically active population. (2) Model based estimates.  Source: Annual Population Survey and Model Based Estimates 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4 :  Number of lone parents( 1)  with dependent children( 2)  in Essex and Castle Point, 2004 to 2007 
			  January to December of each year 
			  Thousand 
			   Essex  Castle Point 
			  In employment   
			 2004 15 __ 
			 2005 21 __ 
			 2006 22 __ 
			 2007(3) ***23 ****__ 
			
			  Unemployed   
			 2004 __ __ 
			 2005 __ __ 
			 2006 __ __ 
			 2007(3) ****__ ****__ 
			 '' = Data is unreliable for practical purposes. (1) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59. (2) Dependent children are children aged under 16 and those 16 to 18 who are never-married and in full-time education. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  KEY  Coefficient of Variation  (CV) (percentage)  Statistical Robustness (CV) (percentage) * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Source: Annual Population Survey Household data sets 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: Number of persons employed( 1)  by gender resident In Essex and Castle Point in each of the last five years 
			  Thousand 
			   Essex  Castle Point 
			  12 month period  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 January to December 2004 360 296 24 20 
			 January to December 2005 364 304 24 19 
			 January to December 2006 363 303 23 20 
			 January to December 2007 372 301 23 21 
			 October 2007 to September 2008 *374 *306 ***23 ***18 
			 (1) Levels of employment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  K ey  Coefficient of Variation  (CV) (percentage)  Statistical Robustness (CV) (percentage) * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 6: Number of persons unemployed( 1)  by gender resident in Essex and Castle Point in each of the last five years 
			  Thousand 
			   Essex  Castle Point 
			  12 month period  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 January to December 2004 14 11   
			 January to December 2005 15 13   
			 January to December 2006 12 13   
			 January to December 2007 16 15   
			 October 2007 to September 2008 ***16 ***15 **** **** 
			 '' = Data disclosive or is unreliable for practical purposes. (1) Levels of unemployment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  K ey  Coefficient of Variation  (CV) (percentage)  Statistical Robustness (CV) (percentage) * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.

Employment: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many  (a) males,  (b) females and  (c) single parents were (i) in employment and (ii) unemployment for at least a period in Peterborough in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the average unemployment rate among the working age population in Peterborough was in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many people resident in Peterborough were in employment for at least a period in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many (a) males, (b) females and (c) single parents were (i) in employment and (ii) unemployment for at least a period in Peterborough in each of the last five years; what the average unemployment rate among the working age population in Peterborough was in each of the last five years; and how many people resident in Peterborough were in employment for at least a period in each of the last five years. (281666,281667  281668)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles labour market statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Estimates of total unemployment for unitary and local authorities are produced from a statistical model, and follow International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1 shows the number of males, females and total people aged 16 and over resident in Peterborough Local Authority (LA), who were employed in each of the last five years. The estimates have been compiled from the APS. The latest period for which data are available is October 2007 to September 2008. Numbers of males and females aged 16 and over resident in Peterborough LA, who were unemployed in each of the last five years have not been provided due to the unreliability of data for statistical purposes at this level of geography. The unemployment rates of people resident in Peterborough LA, in each of the last five years are also shown in Table 1.
	Unemployment rates are calculated as the number of unemployed people 16+ as a percentage of the economically active population rather than as a percentage of the working age population, thus estimates provided are consistent with these definitions. Estimates for Peterborough LA are compiled from Model based estimates.
	Table 2 shows the number of lone parents below state pension age with dependent children who were in employment and resident in Peterborough LA, for the calendar years 2004 to 2007. Estimates are derived from the APS household datasets and are only available for January to December for the years 2004 to 2007. Lone parent unemployment estimates for Peterborough LA cannot be provided as the sample size is too small and considered unreliable for practical purposes.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment and unemployment are available from the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			  Table 1:  Number of persons employed and unemployed( 1)  and unemployment rate( 2)  for people resident in Peterborough local authority in each of the last five years 
			   Employed (Thousand)  Unemployed (Thousand)  Unemployment rate (Percentage) 
			  12-month period  Male  Female  Total  Male  Female  People( 3) 
			 January to December 2004 44 37 81   4.4 
			 January to December 2005 43 37 79   4.9 
			 January to December 2006 43 36 79   5.7 
			 January to December 2007 44 35 78   5.9 
			 October 2007 to September 2008(4) **43 ***34 **77 **** **** 6.3 
			 (1) Levels of employed and unemployed are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Number of unemployed people aged 16 and over as a percentage of the economically active population. (3) Model based estimates. (4) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Data are unreliable for practical purposes. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness *0 = CV5  Estimates are considered precise **5 = CV 10   Estimates are considered reasonably precise ***10 = CV 20   Estimates are considered acceptable ****  CV ? 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for   practical purposes   Source:  Annual Population Survey and Model Based Estimates. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of lone parents( 1)  with dependent children( 2)  resident in Peterborough local authority, 2004 to 2007 
			  12 month period  Peterborough local authority 
			  In employment  
			 January to December 2004 2 
			 January to December 2005 3 
			 January to December 2006 3 
			 January to December 2007(3) ***3 
			  Unemployed  
			 January to December 2004  
			 January to December 2005  
			 January to December 2006  
			 January to December 2007(3) **** 
			 (1) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59. (2) Dependent children are children aged under 16 and those 16 to 18 who are never-married and in full-time education. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Data are unreliable for practical purposes. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220   Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%)Statistical Robustness  *0 = CV5  Estimates are considered precise **  5 = CV 10   Estimates are considered reasonably precise ***10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable ****CV ? 20Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes   Source:  Annual Population Survey Household date sets.

Public Expenditure: Leyton

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate the Office of National Statistics has made of public expenditure in Leyton and Wanstead constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the level of public expenditure in Leyton and Wanstead constituency in each of the last ten years. (278167)
	The Office for National Statistics does not make estimates of public expenditure at a constituency level, therefore the information requested is not available.

USA: Official Gifts

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to section 7.22 of the Ministerial Code, whether the gift of film DVDs to the Prime Minister from President Obama has been valued  (a) above or  (b) below the 140 threshold.

Angela Smith: As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Government publishes an annual list of gifts received by Ministers valued at more than 140. Details for the financial year 2008-09 will be published before the summer recess.
	A copy of the ministerial code is available in the Library of the House or can be found at
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/propriety_and_ethics/assets/ministerial_code_current.pdf

Voluntary Organisations: Domestic Violence

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent representations her Department has received from specialist voluntary sector organisations dealing with violence against women on the future funding of that sector.

Angela Smith: Ministers meet a wide range of third sector organisations, including women's groups and the issue of sustainable funding has been key to these discussions. That is why the Office of the Third Sector has been working closely with other Government Departments, in particular the Government Equalities Office, on developing a long-term and sustainable Government engagement strategy with the violence against women third sector. Through the Government's National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning we are engaging with local authority and other public sector commissioners on how to improve practice towards the third sector.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related deaths there were in each strategic health authority area in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many alcohol-related deaths there were in each strategic health authority area in each year since 1997. (280787)
	The table attached provides the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in strategic health authorities in England, from 1997 to 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause( 1) , strategic health authorities in England( 2) , 1997 to 2008( 3,4) 
			  Strategic health authority  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 North East 323 331 307 326 337 337 387 426 402 435 455 485 
			 Northwest 860 878 922 931 1040 1054 1105 1166 1173 1209 1310 1311 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 405 431 446 419 489 475 573 615 643 679 675 652 
			 East Midlands 322 307 394 410 408 434 482 482 506 505 513 582 
			 West Midlands 497 583 578 588 655 697 737 743 776 801 809 907 
			 East of England 319 404 390 426 441 456 484 485 492 556 573 569 
			 London 732 773 806 794 787 832 826 758 744 824 704 739 
			 South East Coast 333 348 361 394 468 457 449 446 472 508 499 489 
			 South Central 274 298 303 306 356 351 421 386 402 413 394 389 
			 South West 372 409 428 450 495 489 517 529 581 587 609 645 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001 onwards. The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, are shown in the boxes below. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2009. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1: Alcohol-related causes of death: International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-9 code(s) 
			 Alcoholic psychoses 291 
			 Alcohol dependence syndrome 303 
			 Non-dependent abuse of alcohol 305.0 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 425.5 
			 Alcoholic fatty liver 571.0 
			 Acute alcoholic hepatitis 571.1 
			 Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver 571.2 
			 Alcoholic liver damage, unspecified 571.3 
			 Chronic hepatitis 571.4 
			 Cirrhosis of liver without mention of alcohol 571.5 
			 Other chronic non-alcoholic liver disease 571.8 
			 Unspecified chronic liver disease without mention of alcohol 571.9 
			 Accidental poisoning by alcohol E860 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 2: Alcohol-related causes  of death:  International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 142.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15

Christie Hospital Manchester: Bank Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has made to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme on behalf of the Christie Charity.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 113W.

Departmental Correspondence

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of letters to his Department from hon. Members' parliamentary offices were answered within 30 days of the date of receipt in each quarter from January 2008 to March 2009.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Tom Watson) on 2 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 80-86WS.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent steps he has taken to ensure that NHS organisations comply with the recommendations of the Cabinet Office report on Data Handling Procedures in Government;
	(2)  what recent steps he has taken to ensure that data held by NHS organisations on portable devices are securely  (a) stored,  (b) used and  (c) destroyed.

Mike O'Brien: All national health service organisations are individually legally responsible for the data in their possession and for complying with data protection legislation. Relevant recommendations of the Cabinet Office report, including clear expectations relating to secure storage, use and destruction of data, have been included as key requirements within the NHS Information Governance Performance Assessment process. Both the NHS Operating Framework for 2009-10 and the national framework contracts for acute, mental health and ambulance services require compliance with these key requirements as soon as is practicable.
	The NHS Chief Executive has written to chief executives of NHS organisations on a number of occasions to stress the importance of meeting these requirements, and of actively managing risks where the pace at which they can be met is constrained by the need to ensure patient care is not disrupted. Comprehensive guidance, along with free on-line training, free encryption software licences, and secure data transfer mechanisms, have been provided by the Department via NHS Connecting for Health.

Departmental Marketing

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in weekly and regional newspapers in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Expenditure on advertising in weekly and regional newspapers ,  2004-05 to 2008-09 
			  Financial year  Total spend () 
			 2004-05 2,028,961 
			 2005-06 1,401,409 
			 2006-07 775,262 
			 2007-08 942,877 
			 2008-09 1,090,881 
			 Total 6,239,390 
			  Source:  Central Office of Information (COI)

Departmental Marketing

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 114W, on departmental marketing, when he expects his Department to complete its review of its advertising expenditure in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The Department expects to complete its review of its advertising expenditure in the last five years by the time Parliament rises for the summer recess.

Departmental Marketing

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how frequently his Department reviews its expenditure on advertising.

Phil Hope: The Department reviews its expenditure on each advertising campaign annually, as part of the business planning process.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to (i) all staff and (ii) senior Civil Service staff in 2008-09; and how many such payments were made.

Phil Hope: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			Agencies (b) 
			   Core Department  NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA)  Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 
			 Amount of end of year non-consolidated performance payments to all staff () 1,895,150 69,209 810,325 
			 Number of all of end of year non-consolidated performance payments 512 48 204 
			 Amount of end of year non-consolidated performance payments to senior civil service (SCS) staff () 1,764,327 51,948 767,169 
			 Number of SCS non-consolidated performance payments 188 6 89 
			 Total pay bill () 141,076,639 10,256,000 37,240,000 
			 Percentage used for non-consolidated performance payments 1.34 0.67 2.18 
			 Median end of year non-consolidated performance payment () 537 424 594 
		
	
	The above non-consolidated performance payments, paid in 2008-09, relate to performance in 2007-08.
	All non-consolidated performance payments are funded within existing pay bill controls, have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs. The purpose of such payments is to ensure that those staff making the greatest contribution to the work of the Department are suitably rewarded.
	For grades below the senior civil service, 2008-09 is the first year that non-consolidated performance payments have been made. For the senior civil service, the size of the non-consolidated performance pay pot is based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body and has been frozen to reflect the current economic conditions.

Departmental Press

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) newspapers and  (b) periodicals are delivered to the private office of each Minister in his Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: The information given relates to Library purchases for the Department's Ministers in May 2009 and reflects the ministerial team at the time.
	 Newspapers
	 R t .  H on. Alan Johnson: Secretary of State for Health
	 (All titles are for Monday to Friday)
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard first edition
	 Evening Standard West End Final
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Sun
	 Times
	 Yorkshire Post (Regional)
	Total cost: 166.97
	 Ben Bradshaw: Minister of State
	 (All titles are for Monday to Thursday)
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard first edition
	 Evening Standard West End Final
	 Express and Echo, Exeter
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Sun
	 Times
	 Western Morning News
	Total cost: 190.93
	 R t .  H on.  Dawn Primarolo: Minister of State
	 (All titles are for Monday to Thursday)
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard West End Final
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Sun
	 Times
	Total cost: 107.80
	 Phil Hope: Minister of State
	 (All titles are for Monday to Thursday)
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard first edition
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Sun
	 Times
	Total cost: 109.70
	 Ann Keen: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
	 (All titles are for Monday to Thursday)
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard first edition
	 Evening Standard West End Final
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Times
	Total 99.40
	 Periodicals
	 R t .  H on.  Alan Johnson: Secretary of State for Health
	 British Medical Journal
	 Economist
	 Health Service Journal
	 Lancet
	 Public Finance
	 Spectator
	Total cost: 139.95
	 Ben Bradshaw: Minister of State
	 Economist
	 General Practitioner
	 Health Service Journal
	 New Statesman
	 Private Eye
	 Pulse
	 Spectator
	Total: 81.17
	 R t .  H on.  Dawn Primarolo: Minister of State
	 Economist
	Total cost: 20.00
	 Phil Hope: Minister of State
	 Community Care
	 Health Service Journal
	 Private Eye
	Total cost: 23.95
	 Ann Keen: Parliamentary Under-Secretary
	 Economist
	 Health Service Journal
	 New Statesman
	 Nursing Times
	 Private Eye
	 Spectator
	Total cost: 62.10
	 Professor The Lord Darzi, KBE: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
	 Health Service Journal
	 Private Eye
	Total cost: 16.60
	The total cost for newspapers and periodicals for May 2009 is 1,018.57.

Departmental Public Consultation

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public consultations have been carried out by his Department since July 2007.

Phil Hope: A list of the formal written public consultations launched by the Department between 1 July 2007 and 31 May 2009 has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Travel

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on tickets for  (a) air and  (b) rail travel for (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department which were not used in each of the last three years.

Phil Hope: All expenditure on air and rail travel has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
	The Department has spent the following on tickets booked through our travel-booking contractor which have not been used and have been returned.
	
		
			   
			   Air travel  Rail travel 
			 2006-07 137,555 694,616 
			 2007-08 91,580 341,483 
			 2008-09 98,369 382,176 
		
	
	Returned tickets are refunded to the Department subject to an administration fee.
	The amount refunded to the Department was:
	
		
			   
			   Air travel  Rail travel 
			 2006-07 135,915 629,646 
			 2007-08 90,740 294,223 
			 2008-09 97,106 324,563 
		
	
	It is not possible to break these figures down between Ministers, special advisers and civil servants as it would mean going through individual records and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.

Drugs: Prisons

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prisoners have been  (a) detoxed for up to 14 days with the prescription of methadone,  (b) maintained on methadone beyond a 14-day detoxification and  (c) placed on abstinence-based addiction programmes in each prison and young offender institution in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The Department has not centrally collected the information requested for each of the last five years.
	However, mechanisms have been put in place as of 1 April 2009 and prisons are now collecting baseline data on the number of drug users in effective treatment. This will enable the Department to collect comparable data from April 2010.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance he issues to strategic health authorities on the proportion of representations required in opposition to fluoridation of tap water in a particular community in order for the authority to withdraw its proposals for fluoridation of the water supply to that community;
	(2)  for what reasons strategic health authorities consult local communities on whether their tap water should be fluoridated.

Ann Keen: Under regulation 5 of the Water Fluoridation (Consultation) (England) Regulations 2005, a strategic health authority (SHA) considering the outcome of a consultation on water fluoridation is required to take into account both the extent of support for the proposal and the cogency of the arguments advanced. In so doing, the authority has to be satisfied that the health arguments in favour of proceeding with the proposal outweigh all arguments against proceeding with it before it takes any steps regarding fluoridation arrangements. Accordingly, guidance on the application of the regulations, issued by the chief dental officer in February 2008, advised that:
	a SHA cannot base its decision solely on a simple count of the representations for or against the proposal.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussion he has had with the Prime Minister on his recent statement in Southampton that the people should decide whether the city's water should be fluoridated.

Ann Keen: The Prime Minister's statement serves to highlight the legislative requirements contained in section 89 of the Water Industry Act 1991 whereby a strategic health authority must consult and ascertain opinion before requesting a water undertaker to increase the fluoride content of a water supply.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on ministerial statements for or against fluoridation during a period of public consultation on whether or not to fluoridate a water supply.

Ann Keen: The Government support the fluoridation of water because of the potential it offers for reducing inequalities in oral health. To help inform public consultations, Ministers will, if asked, explain the reasons for their support.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will call in for examination the decision of South Central Strategic Health Authority to introduce fluoridation in Southampton and Totton.

Ann Keen: This would not be appropriate as an application has been made for a judicial review of the decision of the South Central strategic health authority to fluoridate Southampton and parts of south west Hampshire.

Health Services: Overseas Visitors

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust received from payments from foreign visitors not entitled to free NHS treatment in the last 12 months.

Gillian Merron: The Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS trust reported income from overseas patients under non-reciprocal agreements of 19,000. The figure provided is for 2007-08 which is the latest period for which audited figures are available.
	The figure is taken from the NHS trust's audited summarisation schedules.
	The Department is currently in the process of collecting 2008-09 accounts but this information will not be available until the autumn.

Health: Research

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has  (a) allocated to and  (b) spent on translational medical and health research in each of the last 10 years.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is not available.
	Sir David Cooksey's report A review of UK health research funding published in December 2006 concluded that more should be done to ensure that publicly funded health research was carried out in the most effective and efficient way and to facilitate the rapid translation of research findings into health and economic benefits.
	Under the oversight of the Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research (OSCHR), the Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research have significantly increased their commitment to fund clinical and translational research. Details of the progress made are contained in the OSCHR chairman's first progress report available at:
	www.nihr.ac.uk/about/Pages/about_oschr.aspx

Hospitals: Admissions

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis codes  (a) F19.0,  (b) F19.1,  (c) F19.2,  (d) F19.3,  (e) F19.4,  (f) F19.5,  (g) F19.6,  (h) F19.7,  (i) F19.8 and  (j) F19.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis codes  (a) F16.0,  (b) F16.1,  (c) F16.2,  (d) F16.3,  (e) F16.4,  (f) F16.5,  (g) F16.6,  (h) F16.7,  (i) F16.8 and  (j) F16.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis codes  (a) F14.0,  (b) F14.1,  (c) F14.2 , (d) F14.3,  (e) F14.4,  (f) F14.5,  (g) F14.6,  (h) F14.7,  (i) F14.8 and  (j) F14.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis codes  (a) F13.0,  (b) F13.1,  (c) F13.2,  (d) F13.3,  (e) F13.4,  (f) F13.5,  (g) F13.6,  (h) F13.7,  (i) F13.8 and  (j) F13.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(5)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis codes  (a) F12.0,  (b) F12.1,  (c) F12.2,  (d) F12.3,  (e) F12.4,  (f) F12.5,  (g) F12.6,  (h) F12.7,  (i) F12.8 and  (j) F12.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The information has been placed in the Library. The information requested is shown in the tables by strategic health authority (SHA). To present the data by primary care trust we would need to suppress the majority of the data due to small numbers.

Hospitals: Admissions

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis code  (a) Y65.0,  (b) Y65.1,  (c) Y65.2,  (d) Y65.3,  (e) Y65.4,  (f) Y65.5 and  (g) Y62.8 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis code  (a) Y64,  (b) Y66 and  (c) Y69 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis code  (a) Y63.0,  (b) Y63.1,  (c) Y63.2,  (d) Y63.3,  (e) Y63.4,  (f) Y63.5,  (g) Y63.6,  (h) Y63.8 and  (i) Y63.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis code  (a) Y62.0,  (b) Y62.1,  (c) Y62.2,  (d) Y62.3,  (e) Y62.4, (f) Y62.5,  (g) Y62.6,  (h) Y62.8 and  (i) Y62.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(5)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis code  (a) Y61.0,  (b) Y61.1,  (c) Y61.2,  (d) Y61.3,  (e) Y61.4,  (f) Y61.5,  (g) Y61.6,  (h) Y61.7,  (i) Y61.8 and  (j) Y61.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years;
	(6)  how many hospital admissions there have been for diagnosis code  (a) Y60.0,  (b) Y60.1,  (c) Y60.2,  (d) Y60.3,  (e) Y60.4,  (f) Y60.5,  (g) Y60.6,  (h) Y60.7,  (i) Y60.8 and  (j) Y60.9 for (i) males and (ii) females aged (A) under 14, (B) 14 to 17 and (C) 18 years and over in (1) each region and (2) each primary care trust in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care has provided a count of admissions broken down by strategic health authority of residence. The data cover diagnosis codes Y60.0 to Y69 and a copy has been placed in the Library.
	A count of admissions by primary care trust has not been included as the numbers are small and it may be possible to identify individual patients.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have died while waiting for NHS operations in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) Teesside and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not collect data centrally on the number of patients who die while waiting for national health service operations.
	The NHS has achieved the shortest waits since NHS records began.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for an operation on the NHS was in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) Teesside and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The Department collects hospital in-patient waiting times information on patients who are waiting to be admitted for treatment. The following table shows the average in-patient waiting time in each year since 1999:
	
		
			  Median in-patient waiting time for elective admission 
			  Weeks 
			  Quarter ending  Middlesbrough PCT  Redcar and Cleveland PCT  Stockton PCTs  Hartlepool PCT  Tees heath authority  North East SHA  England 
			 1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a 10.7 11.4 12.9 
			 2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a 11.4 11.3 12.9 
			 2001 n/a n/a n/a n/a 11.9 11.2 12.6 
			 2002 n/a n/a n/a n/a 13.2 12.1 12.7 
			 2003 12.8 14.0 11.9 12.1 12.5 11.4 11.9 
			 2004 11.0 11.3 10.8 10.4 10.9 9.9 10.2 
			 2005 9.8 9.9 9.2 8.8 9.5 7.9 8.5 
			 2006 7.9 7.8 7.6 7.2 7.6 6.7 7.3 
			 2007 6.3 6.1 6.2 6.5 6.3 5.6 6.2 
			 2008 4.3 4.4 4.7 4.9 4.6 4.6 4.5 
			 2009 4.5 4.4 4.4 4.8 4.5 4.2 4.0 
			  Notes:  1. In-patient waiting times are measured from decision to admit by the consultant to admission to hospital.  2. The figures show the median waiting times for patients still waiting for admission at the end of the period stated.  3. Figures for Tees health authority from 2003 are derived from the sum of the primary care trusts in existence at that time.  4. Primary care trust boundary changes in October 2006 affects figures for Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland primary care trusts.  5. Median waiting times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits.   Source:  Department of Health Quarterly Waiting List Collection QF01 and MMRCOM.

Incontinence

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many primary care trusts provide an integrated continence service;
	(2)  what plans he has to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the provision of integrated incontinence services.

Phil Hope: The Department has no plans to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the provision of integrated continence services.
	Information on the number of primary care trusts that provide an integrated continence service is not collected.

Incontinence

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether walk-in health centres will be able to make referrals to incontinence nurses.

Mike O'Brien: It is up to the commissioning primary care trust to determine locally what services will be provided to patients at new general practitioner-led health centres or national health service walk-in centres.

Intensive Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients received treatment in intensive care units in 2008.

Mike O'Brien: The actual number of patients treated in intensive care units is not held centrally.

Malnutrition: Screening

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that sheltered housing scheme managers are trained to  (a) identify and  (b) treat malnutrition.

Ian Austin: The provision of sheltered housing schemes is non-statutory and the employment of managers and care workers within those schemes is a matter for local authorities and other providers of sheltered housing. The Government do not issue any guidance on the employment or training of such housing scheme managers.
	I am aware that the British Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) recently published a study of malnutrition in sheltered housing which showed that nutritional problems are common among tenants of sheltered housing in England.
	I understand that BAPEN is currently working with my ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health on the implementation of the nutrition action plan, which looks at how health and social care organisations can tackle the issues of nutritional care and hydration.

Medical Equipment: East of England

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much funding his Department has allocated for the purchase of  (a) spirometers,  (b) anaesthesia machines,  (c) electrosurgical units,  (d) powered chairs and tables,  (e) autoclaves,  (f) ultrasound equipment,  (g) pulse oximeters and EKG machines for hospitals in (i) Mid Bedfordshire constituency and (ii) the East of England region in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how much funding his Department allocated for the purchase of  (a) densitometers,  (b) defibrillators,  (c) dental equipment,  (d) patient monitors and  (e) blood analyzers for hospitals in (i) Mid Bedfordshire constituency and (ii) the East of England region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: This information is not held centrally.
	The Department does not allocate funding for specific pieces of equipment; expenditure of allocated funds is decided by the local national health service.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Manpower

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency office in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is unable to categorise staff in accordance with the occupational groups requested. The majority of the Agency's staff are based in its London office. The following figures represent the total staff figures in accordance with their Civil Service grades. Generally speaking executive and support staff are within the Administrative Officer and Executive Officer grade. The most senior managers and senior specialists are within the Senior Civil Service grade. Also included in the Senior Civil Service figure are 10 Directors.
	
		
			  Staff in post as per 31 March year ending 
			  Grade  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Administrative Officer 173 139 134 126 126 
			 Executive Officer 157 163 195 211 230 
			 Higher Executive Officer 70 71 65 79 84 
			 Senior Executive Officer 165 188 189 193 196 
			 Grade 7 83 94 107 106 111 
			 Grade 6 65 66 74 87 98 
			 Senior Civil Servants 72 84 99 100 106 
			 Grand Total 795 815 873 912 961

NHS: Finance

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much on average the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency charged for management costs in respect of purchases in each of the last two years.

Mike O'Brien: The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency makes no charges to national health service trusts for management costs in respect of purchases. The agency works to a fixed resource budget which is agreed with the Department annually, details of which are published in the annual report and accounts.

NHS: Finance

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage change in the budget for the NHS between 2009-10 and 2010-11 in  (a) cash and  (b) real terms.

Mike O'Brien: Total net national health service resources in 2009-10 are 102,662 million, and in 2010-11 are 105,824 million. The growth in budget in cash terms is 3.1 per cent., and in real terms is 1.6 per cent (gross domestic product deflators at 23 April 2009).

Hospitals: Weight Measurement

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of hospitals with accurately calibrated  (a) electronic measuring chairs,  (b) beds and  (c) hoist scales for weighing patients.

Mike O'Brien: Information on the number of hospitals with these weight measuring items is not collected centrally.

Prescription Drugs

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultations have been conducted in respect of Part IX of the Drug Tariff; how much each consultation cost; what changes have been made to part IX of the drug tariff as a result; and what estimate he has made of changes to expenditure from the public purse as a result of the changes.

Mike O'Brien: Six consultations were conducted in respect of part IX of the Drug Tariff, the last of which closed in September 2008.
	It is not possible to provide a cost for each consultation. However, costs for the entire review (since it began in 2005) were around 3.7 million. These costs were for the services of professional advisers. The Department's other costs are part of its ongoing operational budget.
	When it began in 2005, the part IX review included not only arrangements for the provision of stoma and urology appliances, and related services, but also the provision of chemical reagents and some dressings in primary care.
	The work was conducted in two phases:
	Phase 1: reimbursement prices for chemical reagents and some dressings: new levels of reimbursement were implemented in part IX of the Drug Tariff in October 2006; and
	Phase 2: arrangements for the provision of stoma and urology appliancesand related servicesin primary care: the new arrangements relate to reimbursement prices and remuneration for services. Details of these new arrangements were provided to the House by way of a written ministerial statement on 1 April 2009. An overview was also placed in the Library. The new arrangements will be implemented from 1 April 2010, subject to amendment regulations being laid, and directions made, in due course.
	The overall review of part IX has delivered significant savings to the national health service.
	Phase 1 of the review, which involved the reduction in reimbursement prices for chemical reagents and some dressings, saved 45.5 million between October 2006 and November 2008.
	For phase 2 of the review, the reduction in reimbursement prices for part IXA (catheter), IXB and IXC appliances will deliver an estimated saving of 4.5 million in 2010-11. In addition, the suspension of the price increase mechanism to October 2010 for part IXA (catheter), IXB and IXC appliances will deliver an additional estimated saving of 10.9 million. Due to the new remuneration arrangements for part IX appliances, it is estimated that additional costs in 2010-11 will be 19.7 million. Exact costs and savings will depend on the number of items dispensed.

Prostate Cancer: Medical Treatments

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information is provided in advance to men  (a) considering and  (b) starting hormone therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer;
	(2)  how many men have been treated for adverse affects from hormone therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what support services his Department provides for men undergoing hormone therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer; and whether he plans to increase the level of those services.

Ann Keen: Information on the treatment of prostate cancer, including hormone therapy, is available on the NHS Choices website at:
	www.nhs.uk/pathways/prostatecancer/Pages/Landing.aspx
	This also provides links to a number of other useful websites, including the Prostate Cancer Charity, UK Prostate Link and Cancer Research UK, where more detailed information is available.
	The Cancer Reform Strategy (2007) acknowledges the importance of all patients with cancer receiving information at each stage of the patient pathway. The National Cancer Action Team has been working with a number of cancer charities, the cancer networks and over 30 national health service trusts to develop national cancer patient information pathways, which make information available to health professionals to offer to patients at key points in their cancer journey.
	Information for men considering or starting hormone therapy for prostate cancer is covered in the national cancer information pathway for prostate cancer, which has been developed with input from Cancer Backup, Cancer Research UK and the Prostate Cancer Charity. This information pathway currently offers over 70 publications covering a range of topics relating to prostate cancer, including hormone therapy. It includes information on why, how and when hormone therapy is given, the types of hormone therapy available and potential side effects. In addition, individual trusts may have local information on hormone therapy to offer to men.
	The national cancer information pathways are currently being piloted in 71 sites, and national roll out of an electronic information delivery system is expected to take place in 2010.
	Information on the number of men who have been treated for adverse effects of hormone therapy for prostate cancer is not collected centrally.
	Primary care trusts are responsible for commissioning services to meet the health care needs of their local populations, including support services for patients.
	In 2008, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. The guidelines recommend that men with prostate cancer should have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their care and treatment, in partnership with their healthcare professionals. This guidance also makes recommendations on the use of hormonal therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer, and the management of any complications. It is available on NICE's website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byIDo=11924

Tranquillisers

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 391-94W, on tranquillisers, for what reasons the number of prescriptions for the anti-epileptic drugs clobazam and clonazepam dispensed increased in 2008.

Mike O'Brien: The data available do not include any information other than the volume and costs of the prescription items.
	No additional analysis has been made of the reasons for these increases.